PoA: A New Direction
by gilesc3
Summary: Starts during PoA after Harry blew his aunt up. Harry makes a discovery at Diagon Alley that changes his life forever.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Well I've been thinking up this story for a while, so I've finally decided to put it on the computer. For money purposes, I am going of the estimate that 1 galleon = £7.86, and in 1993 £1 =$1.49, just to give you a sense of how much Harry spends. You can do the math yourselves, and I have tried to stay as accurate to how much things would really cost. I am not trying to be outrageous in the prices.

I apologize now, I am American and do not know how the English speak or the slang they use. I can only apologize and hope you don't hold it against me and continue to read my story. Read and please let me know what you think so far.

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything about or in the Harry Potter world. Chapter Edited 7/04/14.**

Chapter One: Goblins and Surprises

Harry felt his stomach clench in excitement as he stepped into Diagon Alley. It was the first day of his freedom, the first day for him to once more be a wizard. He knew he should feel regret about blowing up his aunt, but he wasn't punished and he had two weeks before term began, making Harry very grateful for the turn of events.

'_Not to mention she's beastly!'_

Harry grinned to himself as he set off towards Gringotts, planning to get his school shopping out of the way, so that he could relax the rest of the time.

'_Except you still have to do all your homework.'_

Harry groaned as the thought filtered through his mind. The Dursley's hadn't allowed him to do any work, so he had to catch up; especially if he wanted to be done by the time the Weasleys made it to Diagon Alley.

'_I will visit the bank, then grab my school supplies and spend the next two weeks doing my work. That way when Ron and Hermione get here, I'll be done.'_

Harry nodded absently to himself, causing a store clerk that was setting up for the day to give him a weird look. He smoothed down his bangs, making sure that they covered his scar, not wanting to draw too much attention. Harry ignored the man and made his way to the bank, thankful that he had started his day early as there weren't many people out and about.

Approaching the tall podium, Harry scanned the hall, noticing that while most wizards had not yet mobilized for the day, the goblins seemed to already be deep in work.

On one side of the chamber, the creatures were weighing different metals and already forged coins and gems. The other side had what Harry guessed was the record keepers, because they were all writing, their quills scratching across the parchment until the hall was a mixture of scratching and dinging sounds.

Harry supposed that some would find the atmosphere irritating and stuffy, as many wizards and witches looked down on goblins. Or at least, from what Harry had observed, the goblins were often talked down to.

Yet, Harry found the surroundings soothing and felt confident in their ability to manage his gold. Harry was brought out of his thoughts at the gruff voice that came from the top of the podium, demanding to know what he wanted.

"Um, I was hoping to get into my vault. I have my key." The goblin glared down at Harry, making it clear that he was anything but happy to assist him.

"Name?"

"Potter, Harry Potter." When Harry uttered his name, he was surprised to see the goblin's eyes widened before he started flipping through a stack of paper. When he came to the one he was looking for, the goblin nodded to himself before turning back to the confused teen.

"If you will please wait over there, the manager of your accounts has requested your audience. It will be a few moments." The goblin explained in a much more courteous tone before turning to another goblin, murmuring something to it in a strange language.

Harry was beyond confused as to why the manager wanted to speak with him, but he moved over to the indicated seating. He was surprised as he watched the creature at the podium speak with another one, and then the second goblin simply walked into a wall.

'_It must be like the platform.'_ Harry sat down and waited, trying to come up with reasons for the requested meeting.

A few minutes later, the second goblin came back out of the wall and motioned for Harry to step back behind the counter. The teen quickly made his way over and watched as the goblin placed a hand on part of the solid, plain wall, watching as it morphed into a gold inlaid door. Harry's eyes were wide as he followed the goblin into the hallway and down a few passages.

Finally coming to a set of large wooden doors, the goblin rapped twice before opening it. He pushed Harry into the room and closed the door behind him without a word. The boy turned to see a well-dressed goblin sitting behind a massive desk, also decorated with gold, which was covered in files and folders.

"Good morning Mr. Potter. I am Ragniok, the manager of your account. Please have a seat." The goblin motioned to one of the plush chairs in front of his desk. Harry made his way over to the seat and lowered himself, watching as the manager pulled a large folder towards him.

"Excuse me sir, but I'm not sure why I'm here. I thought everything was fine with my vault. Has something happened?"

"Mr. Potter, I asked the front desk to bring you to see me if you came in because you have not inquired about your accounts, which is unusual for the last heir of a Noble family. I had expected you years ago." Ragniok's voice held frustration and irritation, obviously put out about Harry's lack of interest. The wizard's face grew more confused as the goblin continued until he was shaking his head in denial.

"I'm sorry sir, I was told about my vault my parents set up and was given my key. I wasn't aware that anymore needed to be done. I apologize; I didn't mean to offend you or the Goblin Nation if I did so."

"Well, then someone has not properly informed you. You should have been told about this when you came back into the Magical world. But nevertheless, our business today concerns your Holdings vault. As you are not old enough to access your Family vault without a guardian's consent, I was not sure if you wanted to gain access to your other belongings. In your parents' will, they specifically requested that you visit the Holdings vault as soon as your guardian thought it was appropriate."

"Wait, I know I keep interrupting you sir, but I don't have a clue about what you're talking about, sir. I don't have a "Holdings" vault or a "Family" vault. All I've ever had was the Trust vault set up for school. I think you might have me confused with someone else."

"Of course I have the right person, as you're Harry James Potter. Are you saying that you do not know about your accounts? Have you ever even heard your parents' will Mr. Potter?"

"Um, no I was only one when they died. No one has ever shown it to me. I just thought they didn't make one."

"Of course they made one; being a Noble family would demand it. They would have to make sure all their assets were properly sorted. I can't actually show you the will without your guardian, but your parents left everything to you, with 50 galleons to be drawn out of the Trust vault a month for your care. Here, this is a list of all the assets you have currently." Ragniok pulled out a sheet of parchment from the open file and handed it to Harry.

Harry starred down at the writing, not completely sure if he should believe what it showed '_That's a lot of money!'_ Harry looked away from the sum and scanned the properties and businesses that were owned by the Potter family. Then he saw that he did indeed have 3 vaults: the Trust, Holdings, and Family ones Ragniok had mentioned.

"This is all mine? Really?"

"Yes, Mr. Potter. Your family is an ancient and noble line, with each generation adding their own earnings and possessions to the vaults."

"Mr. Ragniok, why wasn't I told about any of this?"

"I assumed that your guardian would have told you. When you did not request to see the Holdings vault on your first trip here, that is when I began to become concerned. Albus Dumbledore should have told you that as the last heir to a Noble family you would have more than a trust vault, especially since he knew of your birthright."

"Dumbledore? He knew about my…inheritance?"

"Yes, Dumbledore was at the reading of your parents' will. It troubles me that you have been neglected from the knowledge of your heritage. It is not in Goblin custom to leave our young in the dark. But, those matters are between wizards. I am simply concerned with making you aware of your accounts; what you do about the other revealed information is up to you." Ragniok gave Harry a look that showed how much he thought Harry should look into those matters. He nodded at the goblin before handing the parchment back to the manager.

"I'm not educated in the ways of either the Magical or Muggle world, so I was wondering if you would perhaps continue to look over my accounts, and send me reports or something of that nature. I don't know the first thing about banking or money managing, but I trust you to care for my gold."

"I would be happy to continue to serve as the manager to your accounts. I will review them, and send you a report once I'm done. Now, let me explain your Holdings vault. This is where the Potter family has put the belongings that they didn't want on the various estates, or they were excess. Also, every major item, such as ones holding magical properties or such, is usually placed in the vault once the family leaves a home so that nothing happens to them."

"So there's…furniture and stuff in there?"

"Yes, there are all sorts of items located within the chamber. Goblins don't go into vaults such as those or Family vaults, because they're keyed into the blood of the family. You can only take one visitor with you, as you have to be touching them and the door at the same time. You can take anything in or out of the vault; to place an item in it, just tap it twice with your wand and say "Holdings" and it will be transported straight to the vault."

"Great, thank you for explaining everything to me. I will look into why I've been kept from my inheritance, but I'm not sure how well that will go. If it's true and Dumbledore has known about this all along, I don't know what else he's kept from me." Harry was scowling, trying to understand why someone that he had viewed as a mentor and…well grandfather would keep something so important from him.

"I do have a quick question before I let you get back to your work. Is there any way that I could just automatically draw money out of my account? It's just that I plan to buy quite a bit today, and I don't want to have to lug around galleons. Also, I might venture out into London, and I need a quick way of transferring galleons to pounds."

"Yes, we do actually have something, although it's not asked for often. It will cost around 100 galleons, if you want one." Upon the boy's nod, Ragniok stood from his desk and left the office.

Harry took the time to look at his surroundings, taking in the dark colors that were offset by gold. The paintings on the walls varied from depicting goblins at war, or goblins relishing in precious metals and gems. He was interrupted from his perusal as Ragniok came back into the room, carrying a couple of items.

He placed them down on the desk and picked a small square wallet, opening it up until Harry saw it looked similar to Uncle Vernon's money pouch.

"This is a wallet that has been connected to your Trust account. All you have to do to get the proper amount of galleons, sickles, or knuts is to open this part and stick your hand inside and request the amount." Ragniok explained, showing Harry the designated portion of the wallet that was meant for magical money. It looked just like the coin section of a Muggle wallet, except it didn't seem to have a zipper.

"For Muggle money, open it longwise and ask for the amount of pounds and pence and it will appear in your hand. But, to keep from appearing…strange in front of the Muggles, we have copied their form of card money, where you swipe the card and the money is transferred. I believe they call it a credit card. You will swipe the card and then I believe you have to sign your name, so please sign the back of this."

Ragniok set the card face down on the desk and handed Harry a pen. He took the writing tool, noting that it was much easier to write with than to have to load a quill up with ink, which often left blots on the parchment as you wrote.

'_I'll have to buy some before school starts. I can't believe I've actually forgotten about them.'_

"Very good, Mr. Potter. Now, to make sure the wallet is not stolen or used without your consent, please give me your hand."

Harry extended his hand and tried not to jump and pull his arm back when he felt the goblin pierce his finger. He was about to question the creature when Ragniok turned his hand over and allowed a single drop of blood to fall onto the wallet. Harry expected the blood to stain the leather and run down it; instead, it sank into material with a small flash of light.

"Now the wallet can only be opened by you. Also, there are anti-theft spells on it, for both magical and muggle modes of stealing, as well as a waterproof charm. I have also supplied you with an identification card, since you are too young for a driver's license. Is there anything else I can do for you today Mr. Potter?"

"I don't think so, Mr. Ragniok. I greatly appreciate you taking your time to shed light on my accounts. I am not sure how long it would have taken me to find out the truth if you hadn't requested this meeting. I will let you get back to work. Thank you again for your time and help."

"It was my pleasure, Mr. Potter. I will send you that report on your accounts as soon as I have had a chance to look them over in detail. Please feel free to send me a letter if you have any questions or concerns." Ragniok said as he escorted the teen out of his office. Harry shook his hand and bowed his head, not sure what the proper custom was for goblins.

'_I'll have to buy a book on goblin custom to make sure I don't offend anyone.'_

Ragniok bowed his head also before stepping back into his office, signaling to a goblin in the hallway to escort him back to the front of the bank.

Now that Harry didn't have to go to his Trust vault, he decided to visit the Holdings one before he went shopping. Ragniok had said that his parents wanted him to go to the vault as soon as possible, so there must be something important in its depths. He went back to the high podium and asked to see his Holdings vault, which he was quickly escorted to by a familiar goblin.

Once they had reached the appropriate level, the cart slowed down until it eased to a stop. Harry had to stay still for a moment to make sure his stomach was going to stay in place before stepping out of the cart. He turned back to the goblin and gave him a bow of thanks.

"Thank you for escorting me, Griphook." The goblin's eyes widened at that, not accustomed to wizards bothering to remembering specific goblins.

"You are welcome, Mr. Potter. When you are done, ring the bell and a cart will come back for you. Have a good day."

The goblin was extremely polite, which Harry figured was not a common occurrence. He bowed again before turning to the stretch of wall, where two massive stone doors stood. He heard Griphook whiz past, probably headed back to the top.

On the doors were carvings of phoenixes, in different stages of life, going from birth to death to rebirth. Harry took a deep breath before laying a hand on the right door, steeling himself.

He had expected the pull inwards would be painful, but Harry had to admit that it was almost pleasant. It was like stepping through a warm shower, only he didn't come out wet on the other side.

When his feet hit the floor of the chamber, torches lit all over the cavern, illuminating the area. Once his eyes adjusted, Harry was shocked by the contents. He could make out that there did seem to be some form of organization, as all the furniture seemed to be located in one section and…what looked like clothes were in another, along with other random belongings in their own sections.

Harry stepped further into the room and his eyes were drawn to the center, where there was a box sitting on top of a table. Since the other furniture was in a different area, Harry determined that whatever was inside the box was probably the reason his parents had wanted him to visit.

Stepping up to the box, Harry was surprised to see his name carved into the surface. He traced the wood reverently, having to stop himself from ripping the top off to see what was inside. He looked around, spotting a horrifyingly lime green chair, taking the box over to it and sitting down.

'_No wonder it was placed in here. This thing is absolutely dreadful. Why anyone would actually purchase it is beyond me.'_

Harry shook his head, bringing himself out of those thoughts and refocusing on the box. He held it up so that he could see the sides, and was confused as to why there were illustrations of a stag, dog, wolf, fox and…Harry squinted his eyes and was finally able to make out that the fifth animal was a rat. He didn't understand why those specific animals were chosen, but the carving was beautiful nonetheless.

Setting the box down in his lap, Harry slowly lifted the lid, being careful because he wasn't sure how good of shape it was in after all these years. Although, there wasn't any dust on it, so Harry had to assume there was a type of preservation charm on it.

Once the box was open, Harry found an envelope addressed to him resting on top. The feminine script spelling out his name caused Harry's heart to constrict and his hands begin to tremble.

'_This letter is from my mum!'_

Harry slowly lifted the envelope out, moving to place the box on a table next to the chair before refocusing on the letter. His hands shook as he slowly opened the envelope, sliding the folded parchment out. He laid the envelope next to the box and carefully unfolded the paper, until the pages were flattened in his lap. He had to take several deep breaths as his heart began to race, not wanting to accidentally rip the parchment.

_Dearest Harry,_

_If you are reading this, then that means your father and I have not lived through this war. I am so very sorry that you have had to go through your life without us. I can only express how much you mean to the both of us and that we are so proud of you. *sniffles*_

_**Sorry son, your mother had to collect herself. We're sitting in the den, watching you play with the stuffed dog Sirius got you and it's painful to realize how close we are to our own deaths, but please know that we went down fighting. You are the most important thing to us and I will gladly lay down my life to protect you and your mother.**_

_I'm alright. Sorry Harry, I just needed a minute. I am so proud of you already, and you're only a year old. You're already forming sentences, which is astounding. Your father and I decided to write this to you so that you would have something from us. _

_I hope that your life has been filled with laughter and love. Sirius might be childish, but he loves you like his own and I know he will make a great godfather. Just please try to stay out of trouble._

_**Humph, don't listen to your mother. The whole point of going to school is to have fun and pull pranks.**_

_JAMES! Don't tell him that! Don't let him fool you Harry, once he got his act together, your father was at the top of his class and even made Head Boy. But he is right about enjoying yourself. Your life is going to be full of obstacles and trials that I wished I could spare you from, so it is important that you make true friends and live every moment to its fullest._

_**And Harry, make sure you keep the guide to becoming an Animagus that's in the box. The Marauders made our own edition because we found there were better techniques, and I'm certain you'll be one, since the gene is usually hereditary. As well as a famous Quidditch player. I took you up the other day and your whole face lit up. Whoops. **_

_Took him up on your broom, did you James?_

_**Aw come on Lils, you know he loved it. And nothing happened to him, see he's just fine. **__*baby giggles*_

_That's not the point, James! You could have dropped him or something! _

_**Harry, I love you and am very proud that you're my son. Know that I will always be looking down on you with pride and joy.**__ *door opens and shuts*_

_Your father is such a chicken. He's run away because he knows I am going to hex his bits! Anyways, I love you so much Harry. You have been the light of my life and every time I am with you or think of you, my heart swells with love. _

_Please do not be too mad at us for leaving you, because I can assure you it was against our will. As your father said, I will also be looking down on you and will always be with you. Try your best in everything you do. Know that every time you feel the wind or sun on your face, your father and I are thinking of you. _

_With all our love, Mom and Dad _

Harry starred down at the pages, tears streaming down his cheeks. He never thought he would actually have anything from his parents, and yet here he was with a handwritten letter. Harry set it aside, afraid he might get it wet from crying.

He scrubbed at his face with his hands, trying to gain control over himself. Once his eyes were again dry, Harry reread the letter, his own heart swelling with the knowledge that his parents loved him. He paused when he came to the part about someone named Sirius supposedly being his guardian.

'_I wonder why I've never met him. Why isn't he my guardian now? Something must've happened.'_

Harry set the letter aside once more and pulled the box back over to him, looking inside. He was met with a picture of strikingly green eyes.

Pulling the stack of photos out of the box, he saw a note that said the pictures were ones that hadn't been placed in any photo album yet. He shifted through the pictures, noting that most of them seemed to be from the same span of time, as Harry looked to be around one.

He stopped at a picture of Lily holding a baby Harry in her arms, with James standing behind her, his arms around her waist and resting on Harry. Both of the young adults were smiling in happiness and would share a kiss every few seconds.

Harry watched the photo as Lily tickled the baby, causing him to giggle, which made the parents smile wider and laugh. Harry wiped another tear from his cheek and set the picture aside, looking over some more. When he got to the last one in the stack, Harry turned his attention back to the open box.

The only thing left at the bottom, besides the book James had commented on, was a small silk pouch. He opened it and turned it over, surprised when five rings fell into his palm. He closed his eyes against the pain when he realized he was holding his parents' wedding rings. Collecting himself once more, Harry brought his hand closer to his face to get a better look.

Harry picked up what was obviously a family ring, as the thick band had a circular top, with an intricate P that was on top of swords, which were crossing in an X shape, and then laid over a phoenix, which had its wings spread wide. Harry guessed that it was the Potter crest and slipped the ring on his right middle finger, and was surprised when the ring shrank to fit.

The other masculine ring was made out of the same metal, but instead of a crest engraving, it had a stag.

'_That's two stags already. And my dad mentioned he wanted me to be an Animagus too, which meant he was one. So I guess he was a stag.'_

Harry traced the shape with wonderment, remembering Professor McGonagall's cat form. He set the ring down and picked up the other three, which all seemed to be of the same metal of the male rings.

One of the rings had a heart shaped garnet, and as Harry examined further, _I promise to love you forever_ was etched on the inside of the ring. The other ring had a slim band that had diamonds inlaid. The center stone was probably 3 carats, although Harry wouldn't know for sure. The last ring had a row of small diamonds, and Harry concluded it must be the wedding band.

Gathering all the rings in his hand, besides the one on his finger, Harry contemplated what to do with them. He debated trying to find some type of necklace to keep them on him, but the thought of something happening to them caused him to rethink that plan.

He slid the rings back into the pouch and loaded everything back into the box. He didn't take the book out because he figured he could look at it later. Instead, he began to explore what else the Holdings vault contained.

He scanned the furniture that he was surrounded by, and seeing nothing of interest, he moved over to the artwork, figuring that he would look through everything so he didn't miss anything, even when he knew he probably wouldn't be taking anything out of the artwork section.

'_I mean, where am I going to put paintings?'_

Harry rolled his eyes at himself before he moved a couple of tapestries to peer at the other pieces. His eyes widened and his heart lurched, not sure if he should believe his eyes.

"Mom? Dad?"

**AN: Ah! A cliffhanger! Please review and let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Just a side note; the wallet was so expensive because it's what I would equate to a ****Louis Vuitton or any other high end handbag. You must remember that it has a money converter in it, which would bump up the price a lot. Besides, if it was cheap, everyone would have one.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything about or in the Harry Potter world. Chapter Edited 7/4/14.**

Chapter Two: Conversations with the dead

"Mom? Dad?"

"Hello son. It's about time you got here." James's portrait spoke, startling Harry.

Harry slowly slid to the floor as his legs turned to jelly, not believing what he was seeing. There were actual portraits of his parents…his PARENTS!

Harry watched as his mother's face broke out into a smile and he couldn't stop from bursting into tears. His emotions surged forward and he couldn't withstand the onslaught, quickly crumbling into the child that he was never allowed to be.

The Potters were shocked by their son's break down, and James moved over to Lily's portrait and held her as they watched their only son suffer gut-wrenching sobs.

Lily turned into her husband, fighting back her own tears as her heart broke listening to Harry. James ran his hands up and down Lily's back, trying to offer her support since he couldn't offer it to the teen.

It took several minutes before Harry trailed off into hiccups, the bottom of his shirt soaked from holding it against his face. He picked up his glasses, which had fallen to the stone floor in his meltdown. He tried to even out his breathing as he looked upon his parents.

"Are you alright, darling?" Lily's light, musical voice washed over Harry and he closed his eyes against the new flood of tears. He shook his head while keeping his eyes closed, trying to get a firmer grip on his composure.

"I just…I l-learned that…that I should…have kn-known about the vault…before now…and if I…I had be-been told…I would…would have had y-you before now." Harry's response came out jerky, his body still trembling from his crying. He wrapped his arms around himself and finally opened his eyes again, seeing the concerned gazes of his dead parents.

"Harry, son, why weren't you told of the vault? We expected you years ago. Sirius should have brought you here a long time ago." James said, his face showing his confusion.

"I don't know who Sirius is. I live with the Dursleys and I didn't know I was a wizard until I turned 11."

"WHAT? Why are you with the Dursleys? You were not to go to them for _any_ reason! And where is Sirius? He was supposed to watch you in case something happened." Lily's emerald gaze became fierce during her questioning.

"Um…I've lived with the Dursleys since you were…I don't know a Sirius."

"That doesn't make any sense because Sirius loved you. I wonder if he too perished." James looked sad at the thought of his friend's death. Lily squeezed his hand, trying to sooth his pain.

"Well, I don't understand why you were put with those…people. I am sorry Harry; our will specifically said you were not to go to them. I can only guess that Dumbledore disregarded our wishes for only reasons he knows. That blasted man has caused more trouble than good!"

"What? Dumbledore is the greatest wizard in the world!" Harry spoke, not understanding why his mother, the woman who died for him, would speak of Dumbledore in such a way. He completely forgot that he had just been crying about being kept from the portraits because of reasons only known to Dumbledore.

"Oh Harry, I see he has gotten his hooks into you. You must listen to me, and listen closely. Albus Dumbledore _is_ a great light wizard. But he meddles in people's lives to get what he wants, with no regard to the actual people who have to live with his decisions. For most of my life, I was taught like you, that Dumbledore was the greatest and that Gryffindor was good and Slytherin was bad. But I implore you to start thinking for yourself, Harry. The world is not black and white, or green and red.

"Dumbledore is undoubtedly the reason you have been stuck with the Dursleys and why you were kept from this vault. And with regard to the houses, you have to stop judging the members of houses on legends. There is no actual evidence of Slytherin producing all the evil in the magical world. They simply are ambitious and sly. There were plenty of Death Eaters from all the houses in the war, including Gryffindor. Please begin to look at things critically and stop letting people tell you what you should think."

"What your father is trying to say, dear, is that if you don't start to question things, than you will be led to your demise."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh…let me guess, Dumbledore hasn't told you about the prophecy yet, has he?"

"What prophecy? I don't know what you're talking about."

"I can't tell you the exact wording, because Dumbledore didn't think we needed to know the specifics. He came to us after your first birthday, after we had written you that letter, and told us about a prophecy that involves a male child born at the end of July. Why he waited an entire year to tell us I don't know! Damn meddling fool!" Lily huffed and scowled, causing James to fight back a chuckle, continuing where she left off.

"According to Dumbledore, the prophecy foretold that this boy would be the one responsible for the down fall of a dark lord. Now, I questioned why he thought it had to do with you specially, because prophecies can be foretold centauries in advance, so why was this one supposed to happen so soon? But he just disregarded me and advised us to go into hiding."

"We had these portraits commissioned before we went. The plan was that if something happened to us, you would have a little piece of your parents as you grew. We only have our memories up until the portraits were made, so we don't know what happened, but we thought having any form of us would be better than to go through life with nothing. I'm sorry it has taken so long for you to find us, dear." Lily smiled sadly at him, her eyes meeting his.

"So the whole reason you were targeted was because of me?" Harry asked, his heart sinking as he realized that his parents' death was literally his fault. He was the reason Voldemort had attacked and killed them.

"Oh Harry, don't even think what I can see you're thinking. We were targets before you were born because we defied Voldemort and we supported Dumbledore. We had already fought with him and his minions three times before we went into hiding. This prophecy just added to our already dangerous lives. So don't you dare think that this was your fault!" Lily's voice was sharp with reprimand.

Harry lowered his gaze, not sure if he should believe them; finding it hard to let go of the guilt of responsibility. But the warmth that spread through him at Lily's, his _mother's, _scolding made it a little difficult to keep his mind on track.

"But the prophecy is probably why Dumbledore has kept everything from you. We have had a decade to discuss it, and we think that he expects you to die while fighting Voldemort."

"I'm going to die?" Harry's voice shook as he thought about his fast approaching death, his insides going cold.

'_I don't want to die! I haven't even done anything really fun in my life yet. I've never even kissed a girl!_'

"NO! You're not going to die if we have anything to say about it. We're just trying to get you to realize that, while Dumbledore is a great wizard, he thinks he knows best and probably doesn't plan to train you until right before you have to face Voldemort so that you're not prepared. We're not sure why he thinks you have to die, but you need to prepare yourself now so that when this fight does happen, you're ready."

Harry nodded, his mind whirling with all this new information. He had just found portraits of his parents that he could have had for years now, someone named Sirius was supposed to be his guardian, and there was a prophecy spelling out that he had to personally fight Voldemort. His head throbbed as a headache surged through his brain, making it clear that Harry needed to relax.

"Ok I think it will take me a few days to wrap my mind around everything you've told me. Is there anything else major that I should know about?"

"I can't think of anything right now. So, how old are you?" James sat down in Lily's frame, pulling her down with him.

The two snuggled while they peered at their son, taking in his small and ruffled appearance. Harry saw that they expected to be talking for a while, so he grabbed the cushion from the green chair and sat down in front of the portraits.

"I turned 13 a week ago, actually. I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron for the rest of break because I accidentally blew up Aunt Marge."

"What do you mean you _blew up_ this Aunt Marge?" James asked, his eyes wide.

"Well, she was insulting…you…and I lost my temper. She blew up like a balloon and started to float away." James let out a bark of laughter and Lily tried to fight a smile.

"I take it she was related to Petunia's husband, since we don't have a Marge on our side." Harry nodded and Lily broke out in a chuckle.

"That's more like it son! You'll make a wonderful Marauder after all. I told you Lils! He takes after his dad!"

"What's a Marauder? You mentioned it in the letter too and I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, sorry. That was what we called ourselves in school. Sirius, Remus, Peter, and I made up the group and we were renowned for our pranks. I'm surprised that we didn't make it into an edition of _Hogwarts: A History_ with some of the things we pulled."

"That sounds…wonderful. I actually know a couple of blokes that have taken up a similar cause, although I'm not sure if they know about you. They're my friend Ron's older twin brothers, Fred and George. They're always playing pranks on someone and I've been told never to eat or drink anything they give me."

"I'm relieved someone decided to continue on our noble cause!"

"Noble cause my arse!"

"Lils, you wound me! And don't even try to get Harry to believe you didn't have anything to do with our pranks. Harry, your mom and Remus came up with some of the most ingenious pranks in the history of the school!"

"James! Don't tell him that. Harry, it's important to have fun, but you still need to focus on your studies!" Lily smacked James's chest. Harry's heart constricted as he watched the by play between them.

"I have a question about the letter you wrote me. Watching you just now reminded me of it, and I am confused as to why it appeared as if you were both writing at the same time. And it actually put sounds into the letter."

"Oh, that's your mother's doing. She came up with a charm that would allow one to speak to or around the parchment and quill and it would write what you were saying. Why no one came up with it sooner is beyond me."

"What makes you think I didn't know the spell before then?"

"You mean you knew the spell while we were at school?"

"Maybe." Lily peered up at him through her lashes, trying to keep a straight face at his outraged and wounded expression.

"You…vixen! I can't believe you let me write all those rolls of essays and notes when I could have just been talking to myself and gotten things done faster!" Lily started laughing at James, clutching her sides as his face contorted into faked outrage.

"Where would the fun be in _both_ of us having it? Besides, when you wanted to borrow my notes I liked that you had to rewrite everything. Although, why you didn't simply duplicate my notes so you didn't have to rewrite them is beyond me. For being so smart, you weren't always the brightest bulb."

James looked scandalized at his wife, before he attacked her, tickling her until Lily was shrieking. Harry sat back and watched his parents, cherishing the display. While most children are used to their parents antics, this was new to Harry and he welcomed every moment.

Finally releasing her, James turned back to Harry, winking at him as Lily tried to catch her breath. The young wizard thought it was a little strange since she was a portrait, but he wasn't sure exactly how magical paintings worked so he disregarded the thought.

"So tell us about your years at Hogwarts."

Harry filled them in on what had occurred in the last two years, being interrupted several times by both parents, either in praise or in outrage. James's smile almost broke his face when Harry told him about making the Quidditch team, and Lily looked like she wanted to do violence to someone, probably Dumbledore, when Harry spoke about how Voldemort had attempted to come back.

"I don't understand why the stone was even brought to the school. I've read about the Flammels, and they don't strike me as people who'd willingly give up the source of their existence. They are supposed to live in an unchartable location, so the likelihood of Voldemort finding them should have been very slim."

"And if it was to be protected, the defenses should not have been able to be surpassed by 3 first years. And, those challenges seemed to be specific to you and your friends! And how would a second year figure out what was attacking students and the headmaster wouldn't! It's completely outrageous!"

"Wait, what do you mean about the defenses?" Harry furrowed his brow as he listened to his father, confused once more.

"Well think about it; the troll was already knocked out, but you had previously faced one during the year. Hermione would have known about the Devil's Snare. Than the flying challenge; you're the youngest seeker in a century. Then the chessboard, something Ron excels at. And the potion riddle, which Hermione would definitely have been able to figure out. It seems bizarre that those would be the defenses for something as valuable as the Philosopher's Stone."

Harry's eyes had continued to widen as Lily picked up the conversation. He had never thought about the obstacles like that, but she pointed out important facts.

'_No one, especially first years, should have been able to get to the stone. Those challenges were definitely meant to allow me, Ron, and Hermione access.'_

"You're right mum. That is…suspect at best. I'll talk to Hermione about it and see what she says."

"Actually, I would think about talking to someone else first. From what you've told us, Hermione is very certain in her belief in the absolute truth of books and in the authority of adults. Until she changes, I would look at someone who has had a similar experience and would share your skepticism."

"But there's no one like that that I know of. Ron and Hermione are the only ones who have faced the same things I have."

"Are you sure, son? Didn't you recently save…Ginny was it, from being possessed by Tom Riddle? Wouldn't she wonder why such a dangerous object hadn't been discovered and protection given to her?"

"Ginny? Well…I guess. I just hadn't really thought about her all summer, I guess."

"You just forgot about her? Harry, the two of you just went through a traumatic experience. I would wager a guess and say that she is suffering more than you because she dealt with him for an entire school year while you only interacted with him for about twenty minutes. I'm sure she has not had the best of summers, and for you to just brush her off disappoints me."

Harry's eyes widened at Lily's words, and he felt shame course through him. She was right; he had completely disregarded Ginny in all of his thoughts. She had always just been "Ron's little sister" and he hadn't even realized how mean his actions could have been to her.

"You're right again, mum. I can't believe I forgot about her. I should've realized that the experience would have been terrible for her, especially since I have nightmares of the incident. I'll make sure to try and include her in the group this year." Lily nodded at him before smiling again, letting him know that she wasn't angry with him anymore.

"Speaking of the upcoming year, what classes have you decided to take?"

"Well, Ron and I decided on Divination and Care of Magical Creatures."

"No Harry, do not waste your time with Divination. That is a bollocks class and will not help you for whatever profession you choose. And Care of Magical Creatures is usually a waste of time as well."

"But…Hagrid sent me the book for Care of Magical Creatures, so I think he's teaching it now and I said I would take it. And Ron wanted an easy class and Divination was the easiest one offered."

"Harry, I know you didn't have any friends until Ron, but you need to listen to me. You should take courses that _you_ want and that will help _your_ future. Arithmancy and Ancient Runes are extremely helpful in many careers. I know they will require more work than the other two, but it's worth it. Even Sirius regretted taking Divination, and that speaks for itself."

"But…Ron will be upset if we're not in the same classes."

"If Ron is truly your friend, it won't matter what class you're in. I'm sure he will understand. I mean…unless you want to take Divination." Lily's face scrunched up at the thought of anyone _wanting_ to take the course. Harry shook his head, knowing that the only reason he signed up for it was because Ron said he should.

"Good to know you've got some sense in you. Write to McGonagall and let her know that you want to drop it and pick up another course or two. She'll probably be more than happy to switch it for you, since she can't stand the subject."

"Now, I think you should probably get on with your day. I don't know exactly how long we've been talking, but I'm sure you have things to do." Harry glanced down at the broken face of the watch he had repaired. He could see that it was almost two and that they had literally talked for hours.

"I can't believe how late it is. The shops close around 5, which means I only have a few hours to get things done. Is there anything you would suggest I take out of here before I go?"

"Well, besides us, you should take one of the untraceable wands from the far wall. Pick the one that responds best, although I would also pursue the wand cores that are near the wands and pick the best one from those and go get a custom wand. You'll have to go to Knockturn Alley and it will be more expensive, but a custom wand can be connected to you specifically, meaning if it is somehow taken, no one but you will be able to use it.

"Also, take books on the Potter family. You're the remaining heir of a Noble house, which means you have certain responsibilities." James pointed in the general direction of the things he described. Harry scanned the room, noting where the things James was talking about were located.

"Oh, I would also take our old school books. I'm sure the courses haven't changed that much and we've already made notes in the margins. And take as many books on spells, curses, histories, and whatnot as you want. The Potters have a huge collection of important tomes.

"Actually, I would shrink _all_ the books down and put them in a trunk and shrink that down too so you have everything." Lily pointed to where there was a hodgepodge of trunks, many of them looking worse for wear.

"Speaking of trunks, you should really get a multi-compartmental trunk. You can purchase one in Diagon Alley. They're really useful because you can get custom rooms made, such as a bedroom or Quidditch pitch and such. It'll cost you, but it's worth the money." James explained, a look of excitement on his face as he thought about the possibilities for trunks.

"Do I really need one though? I mean…I'm only thirteen so what could I need it for?"

"All sorts of things. You should purchase one that has a bedroom and kitchen, so that over the summers you don't really have to be around the Dursleys. And a library would be a good place to do your homework and studying, especially if you can't find a quiet place in the castle. The benefits of having such a trunk are endless, so I would get one crafted before you leave for school this year so you already have it."

Harry nodded, trying to keep everything they were saying in mind. He walked over to the wands, which were housed against a wall and kept in a glass fronted shelf. He opened the doors and lifted each one until he found a wand that shot out gold sparks. He wasn't sure what the core was, but the wand was about 10 inches and made out of a supple wood.

Closing the cabinet, he turned to where James had said there were wand cores. Next to the wand cabinet was another one, except behind these glass doors were jars labeled with substances such as "phoenix feather" and "unicorn hair". Next to the jars were strips different woods, ranging from oak to pine.

He tested each ingredient until he came away with two cores, unicorn hair and dragon heart string and the wood was willow. He collected his chosen pieces and rolled them into one of the leather pouches that was inside the cabinet, which would protect them until he could get a wand made. He turned towards the books before he realized he had an issue.

"Um, I don't know how to shrink things."

"Oh, it's simple really. You tap an object with your wand and say _Ruducio_."

Harry nodded before turning back to the books and doing as instructed with his new wand. He moved the miniature books into an empty trunk, but before shrinking that down, he went through the room and picked up items he found interesting.

Into the trunk Harry placed: photo albums, his parents old school books, the rest of the texts and tomes in the chamber, a pair of black dragonhide boots along with a matching cloak, the box from his parents, some artwork to put in the trunk he would have made, he even picked out a few interesting daggers. Placing everything in the trunk, he turned back to his parents' portraits.

"Before you leave, make sure to grab a few wand holsters. I would get one for each arm and one for your calf." James commented, nodding to the stand on the other side of the wand cabinet.

Harry nodded before shrinking down the portraits and placing them carefully into the trunk next to his wand ingredients. He grabbed three black holsters and attached the two forearm ones, sliding his old wand into the right one. Thinking his friends might like them as well, he grabbed three more and put them inside the trunk before shutting it and reducing so it fit in his pocket.

Harry grabbed a black robe and pulled it on, making sure the hood concealed his face. He made sure to hide his new wand in its holster before exiting the chamber. He tapped the bell and was surprised with the speed of which the cart appeared.

Harry was quickly on his way back up to the surface, noting that he had a little over two hours before the stores would close.

Deciding to get the trunk ordered first, since that would probably take the longest, Harry went to the trunk shop, and was glad he had grabbed an extra cloak from the vault, as the streets were packed. He rechecked the hood, making sure that no telling features were visible, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.

Finally he made it through the bustling streets and into the shop, where the clerk was already busy with a customer.

Scanning the store, Harry lowered his hood and walked around the trunks, reading the cards that indicated what type of trunk each one was. He didn't see any that appealed to him, so he made his way to the counter to wait for clerk to finish up his sale.

On the counter Harry found a book that indicated it had all the possible options and styles inside. Spotting a chair that he guessed was for waiting customers, Harry took the book over and sat down, flipping it open and scanning the table of contents. He turned to the page that was the start of the multi-compartmental trunks.

_**Multi-Compartmental Options:**_

_**2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 room compartments**_

_**Due to the fact that custom trunks must be made from scratch, please have your rooms chosen before purchase. Rooms cannot be added to a trunk once it has been completed.**_

_**Styles:**_

_**Any style; specialties: Gothic and Traditional**_

_**Woods:**_

_**Dark and light Mahogany, Pine, Oak**_

_**Colors for Walls:**_

_**Dark or light - any color or mix of colors**_

_**Color for Floor:**_

_**Dark or light - any color or mix of colors**_

_**Options for rooms: (included are picture of previously completed rooms)**_

_**Dining room**_

_**Dueling Arena with equipment (for future Aurors) **_

_**Greenhouse**_

_**Kitchen**_

_**Library**_

_**Master bedroom with bath**_

_**Secondary bedrooms with baths (max of 4 bedrooms)**_

_**Parlor**_

_**Swimming Pool**_

_**Potions Lab**_

_**Quidditch Pitch**_

Harry scanned the options, making a mental list of the ones he liked best. He looked up to see that the clerk was ringing up the woman and her daughter, who appeared to be getting her trunk for Hogwarts.

Harry waved at the younger girl, who blushed and waved back before exiting the shop with her mother. Harry stood from the chair and laid the book, still open to the right section, on the counter and looked at the clerk. He was an older man, with bushy gray hair and a frazzled look.

"I am hoping you will be able to help me. I am on the market for a multi-compartmental trunk, and I need it by the start of term. Is that going to be a problem?"

"It depends on what type of trunk you purchase. And it is going to be costly, especially since you have given me so little time to prepare it. Are you going to be able to pay for a trunk that I'm going to have to spend hours on?" The man's voice was sharp and Harry could tell that he thought the teen was full of hot air.

"I assure you, sir, I will be able to purchase the trunk. Now, I understand that the trunk I am about to request is going to be difficult to produce, but I have the upmost faith in your abilities. Also, I will pay part of the purchase price upfront."

The man got excited at the thought of getting his money early, but that excitement was tempered down with the knowledge that this was probably going to be one of the most complicated trunks he had ever created.

Harry explained what he wanted, making sure to be precise in the specifics.

"Sir, you know that what you're asking for is…tremendously more than what a normal trunk consists of, right? You're adding two or three aspects to one room when they would normally go into separate, individual rooms. I'm not sure if I can actually make this trunk to your specifications." The man shook his head, looking down at the list he had been writing as Harry spoke. The boy was obviously playing a joke on him, because the demands were outrageous!

"Like I said, I have faith in your abilities. And I trust that you will be able to complete it in the given time. How much will this cost?"

The man shook his head at the teen's persistence but went to ring up the trunk. He was certain that once the total, which he was sure was high, the boy would laugh and reveal his joke.

"For all of your additions, plus the time constraints, you're looking at 13,000 galleons." (The price is based off the price of a house similar to this)

Harry nodded and pulled out his wallet, reaching into it and requesting 6500 galleons. He slowly turned the wallet over and poured the money out onto the counter. The clerk's eyes widened before he cast a containment charm, preventing the flowing coins from rolling off.

"Sorry about that. I just got this wallet today and I'm not sure how to go about such a high purchase." Harry's face reddened in embarrassment.

The clerk cast a counting charm and was surprised when there was indeed half the purchase price. Nodding to Harry, the clerk tapped the money, which disappeared from the counter, before writing out a bill with the specifications listed. Handing the parchment over for Harry's signature, the clerk duplicated it before handing Harry the copy.

"Thank you. I am staying at the Leaky Cauldron, so if you could just leave word there when it is done I will come pick it up. Have a good evening." Harry smiled before turning to leave, pulling his hood back up.

He was surprised that he had been able to get through the entire purchase without the man looking at his scar. _I wish everyone was as discrete or respectful_. With thirty minutes left before the end of business, Harry hurried to Flourish and Blotts.

Harry purchased not only his school books, but also the books the salesman said were for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Harry also bought texts on Wizarding tradition and customs, a book that listed all the Noble families, books on Goblin tradition, advanced spells, curses, and jinxes books, and anything else that caught his eye.

Harry was the last customer and was soon on his way back to the Leaky Cauldron, his groaning stomach ready to devour super.

**AN: Please Review, they make me feel happy!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: So this chapter addresses some of the questions that I received. Hopefully I got to all of your reviews, and if I did not I apologize, but if you review again, I promise to respond. This chapter is shorter than the others because it's a between chapter really. I hope you enjoy it. Some of the things were taken directly from **_**Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.**_

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything about or in the Harry Potter world. Chapter Edited 7/4/14.**

Chapter Three: A Sirius Problem

Walking through the alley, Harry was mesmerized by all the shops he had never noticed before; such as a shoe repair shop, a botanical garden, a jewelry store that had an ugly, at least in Harry's opinion, necklace showcased on red velvet. He was passing Quality Quidditch Supplies when the crowd in front of the store window grabbed his attention.

"Can I have one? Please dad! I'll do all my chores and everything!" A small boy, probably eight or nine, pleaded with his father. The older man had a pained look, obviously having been subjected to the same line of questioning before.

"I've told you Charles, it's too expensive. Your Cleansweap will just have to do."

Harry tuned out the family scene as he attempted to make his way into the store, which was a feat considering how jam-packed it was. He edged closer until he was finally able to get his first glimpse at the broom on display.

Harry's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the most magnificent broom he had ever seen. It was polished to such a gleam that he could almost make out the reflections of the onlookers. When the crowd parted, Harry dashed forward so that he could see the tag.

_**The Firebolt**_

_THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART RACING BROOM SPORTS A STREAMLINED, SUPERFINE HANDLE OF ASH, TREATED WITH A DIAMOND-HARD POLISH AND HAND-NUMBERED WITH ITS OWN REGISTRATION NUMBER. EACH INDIVIDUALLY SELECTED BIRCH TWIG IN THE BROOMTAIL HAS BEEN HONED TO AERODYNAMIC PERFECTION, GIVING THE FIREBOLT UNSURPASSABLE BALANCE AND PINPOINT PRECISION. THE FIREBOLT HAS AN ACCELERATION OF 150 MILES AN HOUR IN TEN SECONDS AND INCORPORATES AN UNBREAKABLE BREAKING CHARM. PRICE ON REQUEST._

Harry sighed as he concluded that the broom must be so expensive that they didn't want to list the price. He knew that he could probably afford it, since he now knew that he had a lot more money than he had previously thought, but he had just spent a small fortune on his custom trunk and Harry didn't think he needed the Firebolt, since his Nimbus was still in perfect working order.

Sighing, Harry turned away from the display and moved over to the Quidditch gear section, picking up some new protection gear, since his no longer fit. Harry made a quick exit, uncomfortable with the close proximity of the crowd in the store. He sighed in relief as he made it outside, noticing that the boy from before was still nagging his father.

On his way to the robe shop, a store once again caught his attention. Only this time, it was an Oculus store, and had a giant, blinking eye as its sign.

'_How in the world did I EVER miss that?'_ Harry thought as he made his way over to the shop. He was a little unnerved as the eye followed him as soon as he got within a certain distance, but Harry quickly made his way inside. From the sign, he'd expected something else bizarre, but the store was actually clean and looked organized.

Harry walked along the aisles, noticing that the different models of frames had tags that said they did different things; some could see through invisibility cloaks and some were self-adjusting for changes in light. He was about to pick up a standard pair of round spectacles, very similar to the ones he was wearing, when a display drew his attention.

"They're lenses, so that you don't have to worry about them falling off or anything." Harry jumped as the voice sounded from behind him.

He spun around quickly, almost knocking over the display in his haste. The figure behind him, a pretty, slender brunette, covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh at the boy's actions.

"S-Sorry." Harry stuttered, his cheeks flaming in embarrassment.

"It's alright. So are you looking for new glasses or did you want to try out the lenses?" The girl asked as she moved forward to stop a box from falling off.

Her body brushed against Harry's, and suddenly he was blushing for a whole different reason. He felt her soft breasts press against him, and Harry had to swallow several times before the lump that had formed in his throat disappeared.

He tried to remember what she had asked, but her perfume was engulfing him, and added to the physical contact, his mind turned into a foggy haze. He did, however, have enough awareness to notice the nameplate on her shirt read Stacey.

"So, which one do you want?" The girl asked again, a small trace of irritation bleeding into her words.

Harry started, realizing that he had been standing there like a buffoon. Yet, as he tried to talk, his tongue suddenly felt like it was swollen in his mouth, preventing him from speaking.

As he tried to get a handle on the new experience, the clerk continued to stare at the bizarre customer. His shaggy black hair covered most of his face, so Stacey couldn't get a decent look at him. But she could see the red tint to his cheeks, so she could guess the effect she was having on him.

She felt her body hum with pleasure, giddy at the thought she had on males. While he was short and she guessed he was still young, the sixteen year old felt thrilled on the effect she was having on him.

"Are you alright?"

"Sorry, I was…distracted. What exactly do the lenses do?" Harry asked, pushing his glasses back up his nose. The salesgirl picked up a container, presenting it to Harry.

"These are the standardized lenses. They automatically correct to your vision, so that you don't have to have an actual eye exam. They also have a moisture charm, so that you don't have to take them out and they won't dry out. You will need to get a replacement pair every few years, since the charms wear out."

"What about unstandardized?"

"Well, we have all sorts. There are ones that change color; see through things, like a magical eye; can see in the dark, along with other customizations. But I'm not actually allowed to sell most of them to chi…young adults without a guardian present, since a lot of the features could be used to get into trouble." The girl said, checking herself before saying 'child'.

'_You do not want to offend him! You need this job!'_

"Oh ok. Then I'll take a pair of the standardized that change color, I guess." Harry said. The girl nodded before turning back to the counter, where she rang up the purchase.

"Alright, that will be 7 galleons. Would you like me to help you with them?" She asked as she deposited the gold into the register.

Upon hearing the boy's affirmative, she moved back to the front of the counter and opened the box. As she was getting the lenses ready, she instructed the boy to take his glasses off and push his hair back so she could get to his eyes.

Turning, the girl almost tripped over herself when she got a good look at him.

"You're—you're Harry Potter!" She almost shrieked, almost dropping the lenses in her surprise.

"Uh…yeah, that's me….Are you going to help me?" Harry tried to keep the irritation out of his voice, since he himself had made a fool of himself when he got a look at her.

The girl shook herself before she quickly placed both lenses in his eyes. Harry tried not to wince as they burned before his vision cleared. He combed his bangs back down, making sure to cover his scare once more.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, I was just surprised. I'm sure it gets old having people stare at you all the time. I've noticed at school that they can't seem to stop themselves." The girl's voice shook, showing that she wasn't over the shock of seeing the Wizarding World's hero.

"Yes, you could say that. So you go to Hogwarts? What house are you in?"

"Um, Ravenclaw. I'm going into my sixth year, I can't wait. After this past year, I really want a more relaxing year! I swear, they make OWLs just to torture people!" Stacey said, moving to throw the empty box away. Harry felt himself relax, now that there was some distance between them.

Stacey smiled at him, glad she had gotten over her shock. Just like everyone else, she had been guilty of watching him over the years at school, and also marveled at his accomplishments; but, she had been more subtle in her viewing, aware that Harry often seemed to detest the stares and whispers. But, he was going to have to get used to it, as he was their hero and everyone wanted to know everything about him.

For the next half-hour, Harry was surprised how easily he was able to speak to the beautiful girl; well…as long as she stayed a good few feet away from him. They chatted about Hogwarts and what Harry should expect in his two new classes, their summers, and any other random, safe subject that occurred to them.

By the time another customer came in, a warmth had spread through Harry's chest and the onset of his first crush had occurred. The two had to say goodbye so she could help the old man, and Harry went about his shopping, thoughts of the brunette swirling through his mind.

"MAKE SURE TO LOCK YOUR DOORS! SIRIUS BLACK IS STILL AT LARGE!"

The loud voice belonged to a man who was waving newspapers about. Harry, who was headed toward Florean Fortestscue's Ice Cream Parlor for some lunch, having finished his shopping for the next school year, stopped by the newsstand and picked up a copy of the Daily Prophet.

"_You_ should be especially cautious Potter! After all, Sirius Black would want revenge on the one who brought down You-Know-Who." The man said loud enough for the surrounding people to hear, which caused them to start to swarm Harry. He scowled at the man, who gave a toothless grin, before he hurried towards the Leaky Cauldron, the possibility of a peaceful lunch out of the question.

"Hey Tom, can I get some lunch sent up to my room?"

"Sure Mr. Potter, what would you like?"

"Just a sandwich would be fine. And that drink you gave me last night. It was very delicious."

"Butterbeer, Mr. Potter. I'll have the plate sent up soon."

"Thank you." Harry made his way up to his room.

"How was your day? Oh, I see you got rid of those glasses! I never understood why James never got lenses." Lily asked once Harry had made it into the room. He laid the newspaper down on the desk, above which his parents were mounted with a temporary sticking charm.

"They had just been developed and I didn't trust them! Besides, I always enjoyed it when you took them off before—"

"SO! How else was your day?" Lily's voice shrieked out, her cheeks flushing at James's almost finished sentence. Harry scrunched up his nose at the thought of where his father had been going.

"It was fine. I wasn't actually going to get the lenses, but this girl Stacey explained to me what exactly they were and I decided that it would be better than having to pick up my glasses every time they fall off." Harry replied, his cheeks flushing at the mention of Stacey. James noticed this and a slow smile began to spread across his face.

"So…Stacey…is she a student?"

"Yes, she said she was a sixth year Ravenclaw."

"Hmmm…an older woman…I don't know if you can handle her yet…but…well you _are _my son. So did you ask her out?"

"WHAT? NO! She's…a sixth year…and…no!" Harry muttered, turning away from his dad, his face now completely enflamed. James started to laugh, but was elbowed in the side by his wife.

"Harry, it's okay if you have a crush on her. I think a girlfriend would be good for you. Although, you are a little young, but…well let's just say your father had some girl hanging off him since the first day he stepped onto Hogwarts soil."

"You say that like it was a bad thing! Harry, you should definitely look into getting a girlfriend! They can help you in so many _ways_!"

"JAMES ARTHUR POTTER! He is a thirteen year old! For heaven's sake! Harry, go at your own pace and do NOT rush into anything! Especially…intimate relations. Things can get really complicated and if she were to get pregnant-"

"Ok! Stop! I got it." Harry was mortified from the commentary and he quickly moved away from the desk, wanting to put as much space between himself and his parents as possible.

He never thought that he could be so embarrassed. Harry had always thought that having his parents around was what he wanted, but right now he really contemplated shrinking them and placing them in his trunk so he wouldn't have to see their smiling faces.

As he thought this, James gave him a wink and a snigger before turning to the Daily Prophet. Because they were…dead, and portraits, the newspaper was their first source of current information, allowing them to get an understanding about what was going on in the Wizarding world.

"Hey! Why does this say Sirius Black is a wanted criminal?" James's voice traveled over to Harry, who turned to see his dad, crouched in the bottom of his frame, trying to see the paper better. Walking over to the desk, Harry spread out the paper so that James could read it fully.

"They're saying he escaped from Azkaban. He was sentenced for murdering thirteen people after _that_ night." Harry said, knowing that his parents would know to which night he was referring.

"No! That's rubbish! Sirius wouldn't have killed anyone! Ever! Well, maybe…no! Even then! This is wrong, it has to be! They're lying or something!" James was almost shouting by the time he finished his rant.

"Well, the guy on the Knight Bus said Black was a large supported of Voldemort. A lot of people apparently think he's after me for some reason, and I think it has to do with more than me defeating Voldemort."

"Harry, Sirius is not…was not a supporter of Voldemort! Yeah ok, so his whole family was dark, but not Sirius! He was my best friend, like a brother. He would never support that maniac, I'm sure of it. He loved you like you were his own! He's your Godfather!"

"He's the Sirius you were talking about when you mentioned the Marauders?"

"Yes, of course. Me, him, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. I just…there has to be something else going on. Harry, listen to me, Sirius would _never_ betray us. I may have had doubts about Remus, but never Sirius. My family took him in when he ran away from home; he was my best man at our wedding!" James was almost pleading with Harry to believe him.

"But…if he was a traitor, then that means he _did_ betray you! And he's the reason for your murders!" Harry said, his eyes widening as anger began to course through him. This deranged lunatic was the reason for his parents' deaths; for the reason why Harry never had a family.

"Harry, dear, before you try going off and finding Sirius, you need to stop and calm down. I am with your father on this. There is just no possible way that Sirius Black is actually guilty of these charges. He may have been a scoundrel when it came to women, but he was a good man. So, just don't make any judgments until we have more information." Lily said as she comforted James, who kept denying any guilt for his friend.

Harry shrugged, turning away from them, uncertain what he believed.

'_I mean, they wouldn't send someone to jail without a trial with evidence! So he has to be guilty. But, I won't say anything to dad, he wouldn't believe me anyways.'_

Harry was interrupted from his thoughts by a knock on the door. He looked over at the portraits, but his parents had struck their 'stylized' pose, not batting an eye or moving a muscle. He hurried over to the door, not sure how long his parents would be able to stay still.

"Here you go, Mr. Potter. I took the liberty and brought you up a case of Butterbeer so that you wouldn't have to keep coming up and down. The place is packed with people wanting to see you, so I would stay up here." Tom said as he placed the tray and case on the desk.

"Thank you so much, Tom. Here's the money." Harry said and handed over more than was strictly necessary, even for a generous tip.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. I-I know it's not my place, but I wanted you to know that I think your parents would be very proud of you. Just make sure to remove any residue before you leave." Tom said, nodding towards the portraits.

Harry nodded and escorted the barkeeper out, shutting and locking the door before turning to his food. He turned the conversation to safer ground, not wanting his dad to have to think about the likely betrayal of his friend.

Mother and son talked about what Harry planned to do for the rest of the summer while James sat in his frame, trying to come up with a way to prove his friend's innocence.

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	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Thank you for the reviews. I am hoping to reach 100 by chapter five or six, but I'm not sure how likely that is. This chapter is the longest so far, and I'm not sure if future chapters will be this long. I just felt that this information was needed for the reader to understand the future events. I hope you enjoy it and please review and let me know what you think.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Harry Potter world. Chapter Edited 7/4/14.**

Chapter Four: Last Days of Summer

Harry stepped out onto Charring Cross Road, moving quickly to get out of the street. He scanned the surroundings from behind his new sunglasses, searching for a clothing store of some type, as it was ordered by his mother to get a new wardrobe, in both Muggle and Magical items. He had already finished shopping for his school supplies and new robes the day before, and now he was concentrating on the Muggle apparel.

Spotting a promising looking store, he moved towards it, making sure to keep his head down. Even with the dark lenses covering his eyes and the temporary charm that Lily had taught him that changed his hair to a sand blonde, he still wasn't comfortable moving about without more cover.

He knew that his shaggy hair covered most of his scar, but he wasn't sure if someone magical would be in London, and Harry really didn't want to have to deal with the questions. Especially since Fudge had said not to wander around, since Sirius Black was apparently out to get him.

Walking into the store, Harry was shocked to see that it was a lot larger inside than he had thought. It seemed to be evenly divided down the middle, with the male attire on the left and the female on the right.

As he made his way over to the left, he noticed that the section was further divided into age groups and sizes. He had never been clothing shopping before, and Harry wasn't exactly sure what he should be looking for or what his proper sizes actually were.

Not wanting to appear as if he was stupid, Harry grabbed a few jeans in different sizes and moved to the designated changing room.

After several trips to the changing rooms, Harry discovered his sizes and grabbed a cart and loaded it up with jeans, slacks, sweats, dress shirts, t-shirts, a few tank tops, and a few sweaters. He then moved over to the sock and underwear section and got several packages of each. Harry was about to move towards the checkout aisle when the shoe section caught his eye.

Harry looked down at his taped sneakers and back at the displayed shoes, his mind made up to buy some more. He chose several pairs of running shoes, as well as two pairs of dark dress shoes and a pair of sandals. Once the teen was happy with his choices, he moved to check out.

The girl behind the register was surprised that such a small boy would be buying so many items. She wasn't certain if he would be able to pay for everything she had to ring up, since he looked so ruddy.

Yet, not wanting to get another 'talking to' from her manager, she silently rang all the purchases and hoped that her work was not in vain. She was pleasantly surprised when Harry paid for his purchases via debit card before exiting the store.

Harry carried them outside, where he hid in a side alley and shrunk the bags down and put them in his pocket.

'_Don't forget you wanted to look into getting some pens and pencils for school.'_

Harry walked around the street, figuring that if there was a clothing store located there, there would also be other shops. He was about to give up his perusal when he saw an Office Depot sign (I have actually seen one in High Wycombe, England). He quickly made his way over to the store, ready to be done with his summer shopping.

Entering the store, Harry was bombarded with movement and noise. The clothing store, while large, had not been extremely busy. But this store seemed to be packed with adults and children, all pilling school supplies into carts and chatting.

'_Muggle school must also be starting.'_

Harry grabbed a cart and started down the first aisle, stopping to examine the items. He was apparently down the aisle that had different types of markers, and Harry grabbed a few packages of different kinds, although he wasn't sure what he would do with them.

Turning to face the other side of the aisle, Harry was met with pencils, pens, and highlighters. He smiled to himself, thankful his quest had been so easily accomplished.

Grabbing several packages of mechanical and traditional pencils each, Harry made sure to grab a deal of erasers and a pencil sharpener. He again grabbed several different packages of pens, while also grabbing some different colored highlighters.

Moving to exit the aisle, a parade of colors snagged his gaze and had him walking down the next one, where he found post-it notes of every color and size.

'_I feel like I'm going to be here awhile.' _(I love school supplies, lol. Also, this isn't just filler; I'm trying to show how Harry is going to combine the Muggle and Magical)

By the time Harry got out of the school supply section, he had a few of everything: pens, pencils, folders, binders, page protectors, sectionals, note cards, etc.

He made his way to the electronic section, interested in seeing what the Muggles had come up with. Harry never understood why the Magical world seemed to be so far behind in certain aspects, while being ahead in others.

Harry examined a laptop and asked an employee to explain it to him. The woman looked at him as if he had been living under a rock, but she told him everything there was to know about computers, and then about cell phones. Harry desperately wanted a laptop, but he knew that electronic items didn't tend to work at Hogwarts, or at least that's what he thought. He'd known about PCs, but a laptop had so much potential!

'_It would be so convenient though! I mean, she said that there is a World Wide Web and that people can communicate instantly by email! I might not be able to get it to work, but maybe I can come up with a magical form. I should talk to mum and dad about that.'_

Harry checked out and made his way back to the Leaky Cauldron, grateful his mum had told him how to shrink his packages. Grabbing dinner from Tom, Harry ate quickly before making his way up to his room.

"Are you decent?" Harry stuck his head just inside the door, his eyes firmly closed.

There had been an extremely embarrassing moment the fourth day he had the portraits when he walked in and his parents were in different degrees of undress. He had stammered an apology and rushed back downstairs, where he had stayed for two hours out of mortification.

But he had to do his homework, which was upstairs and he had knocked on the door before entering. The Potters had all been embarrassed and the incident was never mentioned again. The days after the event, Harry always took precaution before entering the room.

"Yes Harry dear, we're fine." Lily's voice held a laugh as she observed her son enter the room cautiously.

"Well, hopefully I am done shopping for the rest of the summer. I got a little carried away." Harry explained has he pulled out his purchases and set them on his mattress before enlarging them.

"Yes, I think you might have, Harry." James chuckled as Harry had to use his quick seeker reflexes to keep a few of the bags from falling off the bed.

Harry's face reddened, but he just rolled his eyes at his father before beginning to place everything in its proper area in his school trunk. His special trunk still wasn't ready, and Harry had decided that he would hide it in the bottom of his school trunk so that no one knew he had it. He knew how valuable it was and didn't want anyone to get sticky fingers.

"So how was your day? Besides buying too much, did you have a good outing?" Lily asked. She was currently in James's frame, where they were cuddled up.

"It was a beautiful day, perfect weather. I had lunch in a park and just relaxed. Trying to get through my homework in the last two weeks has been tiring. But at least I'm caught up now, so I can just concentrate on getting familiar with Wizarding traditions." Harry pulled out a pack of pens and was about to go to the desk when he was reminded of the laptops.

"Blast! I can't believe I forgot! Harry, there is a special watch in the vault that allows you to…well I never actually understood it. But it sort of puts you in a…alternate dimension or something.

"Basically, time stops and you can get caught up on all of your studies. Now, you cannot go backwards or forwards, and it only works for a few hours, but it's a lifesaver. I can't believe I actually forgot about it." James shook his head at his lapse. Harry's eyes were wide at the thought of something that powerful. Lily, on the other hand, had a look of outrage on her face.

"You mean you had a way of completing all your work without losing any time and you didn't share this with me?"

"Well now, were would be the fun in _both_ of us having the device?" Lily scowled as James threw her words back in her face before she huffed at him and turned back to her son, annoyed with her husband.

"Well, I wished you would have remembered this a long time ago, but I'll take all the help I can get. But before I go get the watch, I have a question for you two. I don't think they had them when you were…anyway, Muggles have things called laptops now. They're basically miniature computers that you can take anywhere. They have a keyboard and number pad and a screen so that you can type up everything instead of writing everything out.

"But what interested me most was that apparently they can connect to the World Wide Web; a person can send an email to someone else, who will get it a few minutes later. Just think about how much quicker communication would be! And we wouldn't need to send owls anymore. So do you think we could come up with something like this?" Harry rushed out in one breath.

"Harry, take a breath. I'm not sure what a computer is, but I've often thought there needs to be a faster mode of communication in the Wizarding world. I mean, we have two-way mirrors, but they only work for the two people who have the mirrors so it's very limited. Maybe you could create…a journal or something that could be a form of this _email_." James shrugged, not sure if he had helped. Lily's face held a look of concentration as she thought over the matter.

"I think you're dad's right. Until we can develop a better system, I think linking a group of journals together is going to be the easiest way. So let's get started…"

/*/

"HARRY!"

The teen turned in surprise, and had to try to balance himself as he was enveloped in a hug. Harry pushed the bushy hair out of his face as he lightly hugged Hermione, still not too comfortable with physical contact. The girl quickly realized what she was doing and moved back, beaming at her friend.

"I'm so excited to see you! And you don't have your glasses! Did you get contacts? Goodness, I have so much to tell you about France! Oh you would have loved it. Have you seen the Weasley's yet? Ron said they should be here by now, I wonder what has kept them. Although, they are usually running late. Oh look, there's one of the twins!"

Hermione pulled Harry along with her as she made her way through the Leaky Caldron, headed for the fireplace. He just shook his head at her rapid speech, but he followed his friend without complaint.

"Heya Harrikins!"

"And look it's _Hermione_!"

"Oh look how you've grown!"

"Ron's going to have a fit!"

Hermione blushed at the twins' comments and lightly tugged at her shirt, which fit tighter than Harry remembered, but she tried to ignore them as she looked for Ron. Harry shook his head, both to get the thoughts about Hermione's improved bust out of his mind and at the twins' antics.

"Hello, you two. So how has your summer been?"

"Oh you know, making new pranks and-"

"Pranking Ron."

"But look at you!"

"You're going to have to fight off all the girls!"

"Especially now that those _pretty_ eyes aren't hidden!"

Harry laughed at their strange stream of words.

Even though he had known the twins for the last two years, it was still bizarre that they could complete each other's thoughts, as if they shared a single brain. The twins just grinned at the small boy and moved on to head out of the pub, knowing that their mother was going to be arriving soon and they wished to already be gone so she couldn't keep an eye on them.

Harry grinned as he saw Ron stumble out of the green flames, only to be hugged by Hermione. Harry would have ignored or been blind to the interaction before this summer, but with watching the byplay of his parents, Harry could tell that the two liked each other.

'_Or at least have a crush on each other.'_ Harry grinned to himself as he saw the two's faces flush in embarrassment before they made their way over to him.

"Hey mate!

"Hey Ron, how was Egypt?"

"Bloody brilliant! You should have seen some of the curses the buggers came up with. Right nasty ones." Ron clapped Harry on the back, thankful Hermione was speaking with Ginny as she would have scolded him for his language.

"I'm glad you had a good time. I'm going to have to visit once I'm of age I guess. Did you write down any of those curses so we could learn them?" Harry asked in a hushed voice, not wanting Mrs. Weasley to hear. Ron looked startled before he shook his head in denial.

"Sorry mate, I didn't really see a reason to learn them. I mean, they're not covered in school so I didn't see the need." Ron shrugged before he headed over to the bar, where Mr. Weasley was talking to Tom.

Harry shook his head at his friend's lack of initiative. He was about to follow Ron when he saw Ginny walk away from Hermione and stood off to the side, as if she was not an active participant but a mere observer. He took a deep breath and walked towards her, knowing that his mother was right and that Ginny would need friends.

"Hello Ginny, how was your summer?" Harry murmured, startling the small girl.

Harry noticed, with his new awareness of the opposite sex, that she was alarmingly small. He knew that she was shorter than the rest of the Weasleys, being the youngest, but she was also very skinny and she was ghostly pale. When her eyes finally met his, their rich chocolate color was replaced with a dull, lifeless gaze with purple smudges underneath.

"Um…I'm ok. H-How are you? W-What h-happened to your glasses?" Ginny's voice stammered as she tried to stop her face from blushing.

Not only did she have to fight against the embarrassing crush she had, but then he saved her life, which made Ginny even more mortified. She could barely meet his eyes without her face becoming inflamed, especially since she knew what a sight she was.

"I am doing ok and I got lenses for my eyes, but I'm more concerned with you. Why don't we go talk somewhere?" Harry asked, nodding towards a secluded corner. Ginny looked uncertain, but she followed him over to a table.

"I know that we haven't really talked before, but I want you to know that I'm here for you. We're the only two people who have ever faced _him_ and survived, so we need to stick together." Ginny's eyes, as sunken as they were, widened at the very _un_-thirteenish statement.

"I…you don't have to feel sorry for me, Harry. I know I almost got you killed, and the students killed. I—"

"Stop it, Ginny. You aren't responsible for what Tom did. Yes, you should't have written in the diary, but that's the only thing you're guilty of. Do you think I should be responsible for all the lives Voldemort took before he finally disappeared?"

Ginny was startled and shocked that Harry could say _his_ name without batting an eye. Most grown adults shudder and get scared anytime that name was even partially muttered.

"Of course not, Harry! Why would anyone blame you for that? You were an innocent baby!"

"Well, if he would have come after me sooner all those people would have been alive. My parents might be alive today. So I think sometimes, that if Voldemort would have just come sooner, when my parents were away, that so many more people would be alive."

"Oh Harry, that's absolutely ridiculous. None of that makes any logical sense." Ginny rolled her eyes at the boy, surprised that he was in rivalry with Ron for stupidity. She had always thought that he would be so smart, but maybe she would be proven wrong.

"Exactly, so how can an innocent 11 year old be held responsible for being manipulated by a master con-artist?"

"Well…but I nearly got people killed! Not to mention I _did_ get people petrified!"

"Yes, but you were possessed! You can't be held responsible for what happened when it wasn't _you_ doing the things you're blaming yourself for. So forgive yourself and know that I'm always here if you need to talk. Ok?"

"Ok I'll try. Wait!" Ginny quickly grabbed Harry's hand to pull him back to his seat, as he had risen to join the others. Harry sat back down and watched her as Ginny's face flamed again at the physical contact and the strange warmth that engulfed her hand before she took a deep breath and locked gazes with the teen.

"I wanted to thank you for saving my life. No, stop, don't say anything, and just listen. I know you don't think anything of it, as I know you would've done the same thing for anyone. But, I owe you a life debt now, and I will try my hardest to repay you. I said don't talk. I know you don't know me very well, and that's my fault with that crush I had on you."

Ginny's voice had started to lose the meekness as she continued, her old, preHogwarts personality showing a little. Harry was surprised with the change, but he hoped that he would be able to draw that side of her out more often in the future, as well as getting her back into a healthy state.

"But, I have thought about this all summer, and I wanted you to know that I'll always be in your debt for what you did. If you ever need anything, I will be happy to help. I know you don't really need any more friends, but know that I'm here if you want one." Ginny's face was as red as a fire engine by the time she was done, and she desperately wanted to run away in embarrassment, but she knew that she had to get this out.

"I can always use more friends. I mean, until Hagrid, I never even had _a_ friend, so I would be happy to call you one as well. I mean, as long as it's not going to make you…uncomfortable to be my friend."

"Why would it…oh…I've realized that you aren't that fairytale hero, you're the real thing. I know that embarrasses you, but you are _my_ hero Harry, and I can't change that. But I, hopefully, won't be putting my elbow in the butter dish. I'll try to be myself around you, I promise." The end of her statement came out a little cheeky, surprising Ginny.

All summer she had barely spoken to anyone, and the nightmares had been a never-ending companion, but she was somehow able to speak more openly with someone who she definitely should _not_ be able to.

"Good, now let's go catch up. I know you guys have so much shopping to do." The two children stood and headed over to the door, where Mrs. Weasley was waiting with Ron and Hermione.

She gave Harry her customary hug, while thanking him for speaking with her youngest, causing Harry's cheeks to heat. Molly had been extremely worried about her daughter, as she had lost a good twenty pounds since the start of the summer, giving her an almost skeletal appearance.

Molly and Arthur had been at a loss of how to help her, and they could only try to sooth Ginny after her nightly terrors. After the first month of the family not getting any sleep, Arthur had placed a silencing charm on Ginny's room upon her request, giving the rest of the family peace, but Molly knew that her nightmares had continued. So it thrilled her to see her youngest smiling slightly and her face alive with color.

Ron gave him a questioning look but when Harry shook his head, he turned and followed his mother out to the brick wall that led to Diagon Alley. Hermione gave Harry a pruod look, which caused Harry to shift his gaze somewhere else before the three too went into the back, where the arch was appearing.

"Alright, we need to stop at Gringotts first, and then we need to get your new wand Ronald." Mrs. Weasley said, herding the four towards the bank.

Harry knew that their vault had barely any gold in it, and he wished that he could come up with some way to get them what they deserved. The Weasley parents had taken him in as one of their own, without even really meeting him, and Harry thought they deserved all the gold in the world.

As if the gods were listening, a thought popped up in his mind. He quickly moved to walk next to the plump woman, whispering so only she could hear him.

"Actually Mrs. Weasley, I wanted to get Ron his wand. I just…he's been my best friend for three years now and I've never even gotten him a birthday gift. I was actually hoping to get everyone's birthday gifts for them this year, since I've never gotten them before. Would that be ok?" Harry asked uncertainly, not knowing if the woman would see it as charity or just him trying to help out.

He knew that they didn't like charity, and Harry didn't think of it that way, but he knew that anything he got them would have to be sprung on them or worked out with one of the parents.

"Oh Harry, that's really sweet of you. But we can get Ron's wand, I don't want you spending you money on unnecessary things."

"I think a birthday gift is just the reason to spend money. I mean, I've never had friends before and I would really like to show them that I'm glad they want to be my friends. It was always just me and my relatives, but before Ron and your family I never got any gifts. So if I could…share…I would really appreciate it if you would let me. And Ron's always gotten me something, so it's only right that I reciprocate." Harry didn't mean to reveal so much about his life before Hogwarts, but he felt like it was the only way to get Mrs. Weasley to comply. And when he saw her eyes start to tear up, he knew he had won the battle.

"If you're sure Harry, than I don't mind. Go ahead and head over there, and I'll go to the vault myself. Meet me in the robe shop. You're such a…giving boy. And…please keep an eye on Ginny. She has been…unwell, so I don't want her falling behind."

Mrs. Weasley squeezed Harry in another one of her hugs, until he thought his ribs were going to break. He assured the matriarch that he would take care of her daughter before Mrs. Weasley released him and turned to the others, who had been watching the byplay in confusion.

She told them she was going to the bank and they would go to Ollivander's, before she continued on, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes without alerting her children that she was crying.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked, turning towards Harry, who shrugged.

"I don't know. I just asked her to let me get you guys your birthday gifts."

"I don't need your charity!" Ron snarled, his face flaming. Harry rolled his eyes at his friend's predictable outburst.

"Haven't you gotten me birthday gifts for the last two years? I just realized that I haven't gotten any of you anything and I wanted to let you know that I'm glad you're my friends." Harry said, trying to tread carefully.

Ron was extremely proud and Harry didn't want to offend him. He turned to Hermione for help, who nodded before she moved over to Ron, who had started to walk away in a huff.

"You don't have to get me anything, Harry. I know we're not really that good of friends…yet." Ginny said, the last part coming out more as a question than an assertion. Harry turned away from watching Hermione talk to Ron and looked at the youngest Weasley.

"I know, but I want to. You're family has done so much for me that there is nothing I could do to ever repay them. I don't want to see your family suffer for the Wizarding world's stupidity and prejudices. You're family…Ginny if I could picture a family for myself, yours is the one I would want to have." Ginny blushed at Harry's words and gave a small nod, making the teen grin.

"I'm sorry Harry; I know you're just trying to be a friend. I just don't want you to think I need your money."

"Ron, you're my best mate. And like I told Ginny, your family has done so much for me; I need to find some way to repay that. And if getting you a new wand is a small step towards that repayment, than I'm happy to help."

Ron just nodded before turning towards the wand shop, his feathers still ruffled. Hermione shrugged and followed, and Harry and Ginny too made their way over, the entire group entering the shop with a tinkle from the bell above the door.

"Ah, Mr. and Ms. Weasley, I was wondering when I would see you. The wand choses the wizard after all" Ollivander said in his mysterious voice as he started pulling wands down off the walls.

Ginny went to sit down but Harry pushed her up to the counter alongside Ron and sat down to wait with Hermione. Ginny looked back at Harry questionably, but he nodded and started talking to his other best friend.

Twenty minutes later, Ron and Ginny both walked out of the shop with brand-new wands, a look of wonderment upon their faces. Harry and Hermione followed after them, Harry having to pay the tab.

"Thank you so much, Harry!" Ginny said, turning to him and engulfing him in a hug. The two quickly parted, their face reddening. Ron shook Harry's hand, his amazement at the feeling of having his own wand overriding his pride.

"Your mom told me to meet her in Madame Malkin's." Harry said and the group headed over.

At the end of the trip to the robe shop, Harry had gotten the clerk to charge him instead of the Weasleys and had claimed it was the second gift for the 3 years of nongift giving.

Ron decided that Harry was going to do what he wanted and that it would be best if he just kept his mouth shut. They got brand new robes out of it, so Ron just kept his opinions to himself.

The group made it to Flourish and Blotts, Hermione almost fidgeting by the time they got around to it. Ron and Harry shared a laugh at their friend's antics before they started to get their school books.

"Ron, I meant to tell you that I decided against Divination. I wrote Professor McGonagall and she let me take Arithmancy and Ancient Runes instead. I just thought about it and there's nothing I can gain from the class. It won't help when it comes time to look for a career, so I just wanted to let you know." Ron looked hurt and outraged at the news.

"But we were supposed to have the same schedule! Why would you want to take a difficult class instead of the easy one?"

"Because I need to think about my future. I mean, think about it Ron. Vol…_he_ has tried to come back twice in the last two years! What is to stop him from trying again? Divination is a waste of time unless you're actually a seer and I think I would know if I was before now. I need to be prepared for anything that happens.

"You could change too if you want, all you have to do is mail McGonagall or wait until we get there and just explain. She was more than happy to move me." Harry explained in a hushed voice. Ron's eyes widened as Harry talked, having never even thought about Voldemort returning for good. It had been ingrained in people that _he_ was gone for good, despite his own experiences.

'_But Harry's right. He has tried to come back twice. So what is to stop him from doing it again? And if he does come back, I don't want to be left behind while Harry and Hermione figure everything out. But I also don't want to take a difficult class. But…bullocks'_

Harry watched as Ron thought through what he said, hoping that his friend would follow his lead and take a useful class.

"Are you still taking Care of Magical Creatures?" At Harry's nod, Ron felt a little bit better.

"Which class do you think I would do better in? I'm not saying I'll switch, but if I was going to, I would only take one." Harry grinned at his friend before explaining a little about Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Muggle Studies, confident that Ron would change his schedule to include one of those instead of Divination.

As Ron moved to collect his school books, Harry walked over to Hermione, who was already in line, and frowned at the books in her hands.

"Why in the world are you taking Muggle Studies?" Harry asked, lifting the book out of her pile. Hermione huffed and shook her hair out of her face as she tried to grab the book back, but she almost dropped the others in the process.

"Because I want to see how it's being taught and what wizards think of Muggles. And I want to get as many OWLs as possible, so that I have a chance at any job, despite my…background."

"Hermione, you're wasting your time. You know way more than what the professor can teach, and you actually understand the stuff. And you've…you're experiencing how the Magical world views Muggles! Why waste your time learning about something that you are already living?

"As for the OWLs, why don't you just ask McGonagall if there's a way for you to take the OWL, even without taking the class? Isn't that mentioned in _Hogwarts: A History_? Because I seem to remember it saying that a student does not have to be enrolled in a class to take the OWL for it."

"What? Oh…I must have forgotten. But my schedule is already done and I've got it worked out so I'll just keep my classes."

"How can you have it planned out before school even starts? Is that…you're taking Divination too? I didn't expect that! For a class that McGonagall calls 'rubbish and a waste of resources', I'm surprised you would take it."

"Professor McGonagall would never say that!"

"She did in the letter she wrote me when I requested to switch that class for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. C'mon Hermione, you don't want to take that class. You would just end up…walking out or something." Hermione looked insulted at the implication that she would walk out of any class, but she seemed to give his reasoning a little consideration.

"But what if a future career needs it?"

"I've been reading up on the Wizarding world and also on the Ministry, and there's no profession except for a seer that requires, or even recognizes, it. You should concentrate on courses you actually need, not Muggle Studies or Divination."

Hermione thought about what Harry said as he moved away to speak with Ginny, wondering if she could in fact take exams for classes she wasn't enrolled in. She decided that she would get the books just in case and speak with McGonagall when they got to Hogwarts. She could always return the books.

Harry moved over to Ginny, who was talking with her mother and consulting her booklist.

"You know, you're welcome to have my books from last year. I mean, you'll have to get the Defense books, but the rest are almost like new. I'm not doing anything with them and I could use the extra space in my trunk."

Mrs. Weasley looked up, startled at Harry's sudden appearance. She was about to refuse when their conversation from earlier, and the deal in Malkin's reminded her that he would not take no for an answer. The boy was turning into one stubborn young man.

"That would be wonderful, Harry dear. Thank you, we didn't even think to ask you." Mrs. Weasley squeezed his shoulder as she moved to see how Ron was doing.

"Thank you Harry, you didn't have to do that. Ron's books are so worn that they are useless now." Ginny murmured.

"I'm happy to help. And there's no reason to waste the money when the only books to have changed were the Defense. Maybe this year we'll actually have someone competent."

Harry looked at the books for DADA and started pursuing the shelves for them. Ginny followed behind him, putting back the used books that were in her hands. Harry found the books he was searching for and handed the new volumes to Ginny, who was about to protest when he shushed her with a shake of his head.

Ginny was left clutching the glossy new books while Harry moved over to speak with the clerk, who was ringing Hermione up. She watched as Hermione started to argue with Harry, but Harry ended the disagreement by handing the clerk the galleons.

She shook her head at Harry's actions, but she knew that Harry did it out of the goodness of his heart and didn't expect anything in return for his generosity. This reason was why when she tried to ring up the purchase the clerk said that it was already paid for. Ginny felt her heart swell with emotion at the kindness Harry had demonstrated and she was determined to be the best friend to him that she could be.

Mrs. Weasley was going to head to the ice cream parlor to meet up with Arthur and the other boys when Harry mentioned needing to get Hermione her final present, since he hadn't gotten her a wand.

He suggested they head to the pet store, which caused Ron to remember that Scabbers hadn't been feeling well. In all the excitement of his new wand and robes and books, he had completely forgotten about his poor rat.

"Harry, are you sure? My parents gave me money to get myself a gift." Hermione said as they walked through the aisles, looking at the various animals.

"Of course I'm sure, Hermione. Spend that money on a new book or something, I insist." Harry said, stopping at a row of owls. Hermione 'oohed' and 'ahhed' over the beautiful creatures, but Harry wasn't really sure if an owl was the best thing.

'_I mean, Hermione only sends owls to her family while in school, and with the journals, she won't have to send me or Ron letters.'_

"Why don't you get something else, Hermione? I mean, when you're in school, you only send owls to your family and you can use a school owl or Hedwig." Hermione gave a small pout, but she saw the logic in his reasoning and moved over to the aisle with cats, spotting a large orange bundle.

/*/

"I still can't believe you got her that _monster_! It wants to eat Scabbers!" Ron said as he put his things into his room. Harry rolled his eyes at his friend as he waited for him to finish.

He had just returned from his room, where he had shrunken his parents' portraits and placed them in his school trunk. He felt bad about keeping them a secret, but he felt that it was for the best, at least for right now.

"C'mon, hurry up mate! I have something I need to show you and the girls!" Harry said, moving towards the door, hoping Ron would finish quickly. Ron looked back at his packages, which were on the bed, before shrugging and following Harry up to his room.

They came to the landing and saw Hermione and Ginny already standing outside the door, talking in hushed voices. When the girls saw them, their faces blushed before they moved out of the way so Harry could open the door.

"Where's Hedwig?" Hermione asked, spotting the empty cage.

"She's been coming and going, since she was cooped up before I got here. Ok guys, I have a couple of things for you. Here sit down." Harry said, pointing to the bed and the desk chair. The three quickly sat, Ginny trying not to blush as she sat on Harry's bed next to Hermione.

"I didn't pay for these, so you have to take them." Harry said as he handed out the extra wand holsters he had taken from the vault. He knew that after the day of 'gifts' that Ron was on the edge of his patients with accepting things he saw as 'charity', even when he tried to see it from Harry's point of view.

"Oh, it's beautiful Harry!" Ginny said as she ran her hand over the dark red scales of the dragonhide holster. He smiled at her and showed her how to strap it onto her forearm. He was distressed about how tight he had to make it, since her arm was so thin.

"This way, you'll always have it on you and won't accidently sit on it. I don't understand why they don't make them mandatory for students in first year. They would prevent a lot of accidents. They also have anti-summoning and anti-theft charms on them so that people can't summon your wand."

"Wow Harry, that was very thoughtful of you." Hermione said as she strapped her purple one onto her arm. Ron was staring at his, the same dark black as Harry's, before he smiled at his friend and put his on. If he didn't pay for it, than that was ok.

"If you didn't pay for them, where did they come from?"

"Apparently my parents left me more than I was told. I have a Family and Holdings vault, and these were in the Holdings vault. But I've also got something else, something that I made." Harry said as he pulled the bundle of notebooks out of the desk.

"These were originally just normal notebooks for taking notes, but I've added some things to them. Now, before you say anything Hermione, Fudge said that any magic I did here wouldn't be able to be traced. I don't think he meant for me to understand what he was saying, but I guess there's so much magic here that it would be hard to trace."

Harry felt bad about lying, but if he was going to keep his parents and extra wand a secret, it was necessary. Hermione shut her mouth as she opened the journal.

"I found a neat book at the bookstore that had a spell to connect two or more items together. It's similar to two-way mirrors; except they are able to show what the other is writing instead of talking. But you can also take notes with them. I made it where you tap the 'Courses' with your wand and it will add those sections. But, what's really neat is that they have never-ending parchment so you can write tons of stuff, but the book doesn't get any bigger."

"What do you mean they're connected?" Hermione asked, flipping through the pages. The only ones with writing on them were the 'Select Courses' and the area designated for 'Talking'.

"Watch this." Harry said as he sat his journal on the desk and pulled out a pen, before he wrote on the designated place. He taped the 'Send' section and looked up to watch as Hermione's face took on a look of shock as what he had written appeared in her notebook.

"H-How in the world did you come up with this? The magic it must have needed has to be far more advanced than that of third year!" Hermione questioned as she peered at him. Harry was trying to come up with a plausible excuse when Ron spoke up.

"Actually, if someone can learn the spell, they just have to have enough power to complete it. It's more about the ability of the caster than if they are at a high enough level. The reason people haven't thought about this before is because it takes a lot of power, or a lot of people with a common goal. And trying to get anyone to agree on anything is almost impossible."

Everyone shared a look of shock as Ron spoke without looking up, having drawn his wand to tap the courses he wanted. The corresponding sections were then added to the notebook.

"You know Harry, you should patent this and market it." Ginny said in a quiet voice as she copied her brother.

Harry looked surprised at her suggestion and she almost laughed at the thought that the boy could come up with something like this, but not think to use the invention to make money.

'_That just proves further that he doesn't think like that.'_

"What do you mean, Ginny?" Harry asked as he sat on top of his trunk. Hermione watched as, with everyone's journals now open, their names popped up on the 'Online' box.

"I mean, you would probably want to design ones without the chat feature, but if a notebook like this had been available at the beginning of my first year, than I wouldn't have had to buy one for each of my classes. And, if it has endless parchment, than I could actually keep one for the entire seven years! That way I would always have my notes to look back on.

"A simple preservation charm would need to be added so that it would stay like new, and the parchment wouldn't tear. But you should patent it and set up a way to mass produce and sell them." Ginny replied, watching as Hermione, who had gotten off the bed to grab a pen off the desk, started to write in her notebook.

_That's a good idea Ginny. – Hermione_

"Thanks Hermione. But, what are you writing with?" Ginny asked as she looked up at after reading Hermione's comment.

"It's a muggle pen. Really convenient, because you don't have to carry ink around with you and it has a ball in the end so that ink is only distributed when you write. Here, try it out." Hermione handed Ginny and Ron each a pen while Harry walked around the room, thinking about what Ginny had said.

_This is neat! Maybe we could use these at school instead of quills. – Ginny_

_Yeah, but I still like quills. I feel like I'm back in the eighteenth-century or something. – Hermione_

_I don't know, I think they're bloody useful. I mean, how many times have you spilt a bottle of ink over or your bag broken and the ink bottle has broken? And quills wear down quickly, especially for someone who does as much writing as you do Hermione. Maybe Harry could get us some so we could see how they work in school. – Ron_

_Yeah, we'll ask him when he stops pacing. I still can't believe he never thought of patenting this. I mean, without it anyone who sees these could make a fortune off of it when it was his idea. – Ginny _

The silent conversation was interrupted when Harry drew their attention.

"You're right, and I still have time to speak with my account manager before supper, so I'm going to head to Gringotts real quick. I'll be back in time for dinner." Harry said before grabbing his wallet and room key and heading out.

The other three looked at each other before they moved to exit his room, not wanting to be in there without him. They each went to do their own thing, excited about discovering all the potential the notebooks held.

**AN: PLEASE REVIEW! **


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Let me start off with saying to the reviewer Scnuff, that I am aware that the journal idea has been used before. It was the only thing I could come up with that will lead into a future part of the story. And I have yet to read a Harry/Ginny story where Harry finds actual portraits of James and Lily, so I like my idea. **

**A part of the chapter came from **_**Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. **_**But I have changed a few things that you will notice, but they were done so to fit in with the story, so please do not hark about them in reviews; they were done with purpose. **

**Oh, I have also included the picture of the notebook in my profile so that anyone wishing can see what I envisioned. Also, this is going to be my last chapter for some time, as I am about to go into my finals and all my research papers are coming due.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. Chapter Edited 7/5/14.**

Chapter Five: On to Hogwarts

"Hurry up! We're going to miss the train!" Mrs. Weasley said as she ushered the troops through the barrier.

Harry was distracted, the conversation with Mr. Weasley about Sirius Black running through his head. He said goodbye to the Weasley parents before moving to the train, wanting to find an empty compartment.

He climbed onto the engine while the rest said goodbye and moved down until he found what he was looking for and sat down. His school trunk, and his special trunk, and Hedwig's cage were shrunken down into his pocket. He had pulled out a large book about goblin culture to read on the trip.

The others soon joined him, all their trunks likewise shrunken. Hermione had her charms book out already and Ron held up his chest pieces hopefully.

"Mate, I haven't won a game against you in two years. I'm gonna to read for a little while; besides, don't you have a potions essay to finish?" Harry asked, hiding a smirk as his comment started an argument between Ron and Hermione over not completing homework.

"That was not very nice to Ron; you know she's not going to stop until he does it now." Ginny whispered as she sat down next to him. Harry grinned and nodded at her statement, knowing full well what was going to happen.

Ginny tried not to blush when he looked at her, but his eyes were even more piercing now, as they weren't hidden behind his glasses. She had interacted with him more in the last day than in the previous year, but the intensity of the green orbs would take a lot longer than a day to get used to.

'_The girls are going to be fighting over him.' _Ginny shook her head at her thoughts, knowing that the only way she was going to be able to be Harry's friend was if she could get over her crush.

"Well, at least it's gotten the heat off of me. Do you want to read with me?" Harry asked, showing Ginny the book.

"Why are you reading about goblins?" Ginny asked, her pureblood upbringing coming through. Her father might be a Muggle sympathizer, but even he didn't think too much about goblins. She didn't know why anyone would need to know anything about the little creatures.

"Well, with them handling my money, I want to be as respectful as I can. There's nothing to stop them from locking their doors and never allowing another wizard to get their money in or out.

"Besides, everyone, no matter what their species, deserves respect." Harry said, his words a little sharper than he intended. Ginny was shocked at his answer, and ashamed of herself for her initial reaction. She nodded and scooted closer to Harry so that they could both read the book.

They were immersed in the text when the compartment door opened, showing Neville's nervous face.

"Um, I was wondering if I could sit with you. Everywhere else is full and I can't find anyone to sit with?" He asked, his voice light and shy, knowing that they probably didn't want anything to do with him. Most people didn't.

"Sure Neville, there's plenty of room. How was your summer?" Harry asked, motioning to the empty space between Ginny and the compartment wall, as he was against the window. The shy boy slowly sat down, his face betraying his surprise at being allowed in.

"Oh it was fine. My Gran has just been on me about living up to my parents." Neville's voice trailed off. The arguing duo had stopped when Neville appeared, so the silence of the room was almost deafening.

"Well, I think you should focus on being _you_. I mean, ever since I came into this world people have either expected me to do something amazing or compare me to my parents. But, I'm Harry, I'm not James or Lily, and I wished people would start seeing me for who _I_ am. So maybe you should do so too; just stop trying to measure up to other people and do the best you can."

"I-I guess you're right, Harry." Neville murmured before sticking his head into a book about exotic plants. Harry shrugged at the others before he and Ginny started reading again.

For the next few hours, the five sat in silence, as everyone but Ron, who was grudgingly doing his essay, were reading. They were interrupted again when the door slid open, to reveal the pale face of Draco Malfoy.

"Ah, if it isn't Potty, Weasel, and Granger. And look, here's little Weaselette and Longbottom too! I thought you could do better than a skeleton for a girlfriend Potter, but I guess I was wrong."

Harry rolled his eyes at the others before he stood. Ron was already on his feet, his wand sliding out of its hiding place, ready to defend Harry. Ginny felt her eyes fill with tears as she tried to hide behind the large book, mortified that the Slytherin had drawn attention to her thin frame.

"Actually, I've been waiting for you, Draco. I need to talk to you, in private." Harry said, motioning with his head towards the hallway.

"If you think I'm going to go anywhere with you, you're crazier than even I thought." Draco drawled out. Harry rolled his eyes at him before handing Ginny his 'old' wand.

No one else knew about his second wand, or the custom one he was going to have made, so the action surprised everyone. Draco stared hard at him before he slowly backed away from the door, moving down the hall.

"If you cause any problems, you will regret it." Harry said to the two thugs before he followed Draco down the hall.

He wasn't surprised when a wand was pointed at him when the boy turned, but what was surprising, at least to Draco, was that his wand was quickly snatched from his fingers.

"There's no need for violence, Draco. I simply wanted to talk. I have been thinking over the summer that this rift between the houses needs to end. We are all students and we should be able to have friends in other houses without catching heat for it.

"I'm mainly concerned with the one between our houses, as we both know it has been blown out of proportion. I know that not all Slytherins are evil, and I would hope that you start to see that not all Gryffindors are reckless idiots. Now, I know you won't be willing to make a change right now. All I'm asking you to do is to think about it and get back to me.

"Just remember that you don't have to be your father to make it in this world. I too am from a Noble house, but I'm going to live my life the way _I _want to and not how my father might have wanted. Also, know that when Voldemort comes back, I _will_ defeat him for good, and anyone standing with him and against me will fall.

"And if you treasure certain parts of you anatomy, I would _never_ insult Ginny again." Harry said in a deadpan voice, completely serious. The last sentence was said with so much malice that Draco almost clutched himself to make sure he was still intact.

Malfoy couldn't believe what he was hearing, from a thirteen year old no less; he almost squeaked when Harry said _his_ name. In his shock, Draco almost didn't catch his wand when the Gryffindor tossed it back at him.

'_I don't know what just happened. Has Potter decided we should be…friends? No, that would never happen! But maybe…no he doesn't know what he's talking about.'_

Draco shook his head at his thoughts and motioned for his bodyguards to head away from Potter's compartment. There was a lot he had to think about and he didn't feel like listening to Weasel try to defend himself and his family.

"What in the world was that about?" Hermione asked as Harry closed the compartment door.

He just shrugged and sat back down next to Ginny, who handed him his wand back, not wanting to start a fight with Ron. He knew that his friend believed all Slytherins were snakes, so if he found out he had offered Draco an understanding, Harry knew it would cause some problems.

He grabbed lightly squeezed Ginny's arm, trying to offer his support without further embarrassing her by drawing more attention to her emaciated form. The others looked at each other, but it was clear that Harry wasn't going to explain, so they went back to what they had been doing.

**/*/**

_***A few hours later***_

Harry was jerked out of the nap he had fallen into when the train lurched to a stop. He peered out the window, but he couldn't see anything as it was pitch black and the light from the compartment was reflected off the glass.

He turned when he felt Ginny, who had been leaning against him, move, noticing that everyone had been jolted out of what they'd been doing.

"We can't be there yet." Hermione said, checking her watch.

"So why'd we stop?"

The others shrugged at each other, and then suddenly all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.

"What's going on?" Ron's voice came from behind Harry.

"Ouch!" Hermione gasped in pain.

"Ron, that was my foot!"

Harry rolled his eye in the dark, pulling out his wand and casting _Lumos_. The others got the hint and copied him, the compartment coming back into focus.

"D'you think we've broken down?"

"Dunno…"

There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw dim figures moving outside the window.

"There's something moving out there," Ron said, who had come up to the window to peer out.

"I think people are coming aboard…."

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," Hermione said. But the door slid open slowly before Hermione could reach it.

Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the combined light of their spelled wands, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood.

Harry's eyes darted downward, and what he saw made his stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water…

But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the robe sensed Harry's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak. And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air form its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart…

Harry's eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn't see. He was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though his head was in water. He was being dragged downward, the roaring growing louder…

And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to move his arms, but couldn't…a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him—

"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?" Someone was slapping his face.

"W-what?"

Harry opened his eyes; there were lanterns above him, and the floor was shaking – the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. He seemed to have slid out of his seat and onto the floor.

Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to him, and above him he could see Neville and…someone Harry didn't know. Harry felt very sick; when he pushed his hair out of his eyes, he felt cold sweat on his face. Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat.

"Here eat this; I must go check on the others." The man said, handing Harry a slab of chocolate before leaving the compartment. Harry stared down at the sweet before putting some into his mouth, and was grateful that it seemed to drive the cold from his bones.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.

"Yeah. What happened? Where's that – that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed, mate. But the professor, he said it was a dementor, the guards of Azkaban." Ron said, still nervous.

"But I heard screaming –"

"It was your mum." Ginny's whisper was barely audible, but it got everyone's attention.

For the first time Harry noticed that Ginny was huddled in a corner, her knees drawn up to her chest. She looked as bad as Harry felt and her eyes held the look of a terrified child.

"What do you mean, Ginny?" Hermione asked, sitting down next to her and offering some of her own chocolate. Harry met the frightened gaze of the young girl and he felt awful that he had reacted so badly because he couldn't offer her support for whatever happened.

"I heard…I heard my worst memory. I-it makes sense that if I heard that, then Harry would hear his too." The others looked confused, but Harry's eyes began to widen.

"It was the night…the night they died." Harry whispered, his heart sinking even lower in his chest.

He felt his stomach clench, and he set the chocolate aside as he got up and motioned for Hermione to move before he sat next to Ginny. He knew that if he had remembered that, than Ginny was remembering the year before and that she would need support to get over it. The two huddled together, both trying to forget what they had seen or heard.

Hermione finished explaining about what had happened, how the dementor had tried to suck something out of Harry and how the professor had run into the room and banished it with a white creature.

She trailed off in the explanation when she noticed the two had fallen back asleep. She pulled her book back to her to continue her reading and Ron talked Neville into a game of chess, having finished his essay to Hermione's liking.

The rest of the trip was made in silence or low conversation, with the others not wanting to wake the two. When they finally reached the platform, they quickly made their way over to a carriage.

Harry was shocked at the appearance of the…winged horse type creatures that were pulling the carriages. They looked like ghost, skeletal Pegasus's, something you would see in a horror film.

When he made the observation to the others, Ron and Hermione looked at him as if the fainting spell had caused his brain to be scrambled. But Neville gave a startled look, not knowing that others could see them too.

"Mate, there's nothing pulling these. It's done by magic." Ron said, thinking his friend had finally cracked after the dementors. Harry scowled at Ron's tone.

"No, they're pulled by these…ghostly looking horses. Look, I can pet one." Harry said, but as he said it he wasn't sure if the creature would actually allow him to touch it.

The white, milky eyes pierced into Harry as he slowly lowered his hand, but when the beast didn't move to attack, Harry lowered it the rest of the way until it was touching the stretched skin of its neck.

"See, my hand is laying on something." Harry said in triumph.

Ginny walked over to Harry, who took her hand and slowly lowered it to touch the creature. Her gasp signaled that he was in fact not out of his mind. She stared at the empty space before looking back at Harry; then she lightly started stroking the hair she felt.

"I can see them too, Harry. I-I thought it was just me, but I guess maybe we have something in common that the others don't." Neville's voice shook, but Harry was grateful that he wasn't going out of his mind. He and Ginny pet the creature for another minute before they got into the carriage, which was then pulled to the castle.

They were just entering the castle when Nearly Headless Nick informed them that McGonagall wanted to speak with Harry and Hermione.

The group separated and Harry and Hermione hurried to their head of house's office, not wanting to miss the feast.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay Mr. Potter. The professor onboard sent an owl to let us know you had taken ill." Before Harry could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.

Harry felt himself going red in the face. It was bad enough that he'd passed out, or whatever he had done, without everyone making all this fuss.

"I'm fine. I don't need anything—"

"Oh, it's you, is it?" Madam Pomfrey said, ignoring his words and bending down to stare closely at him.

"I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"

"It was a dementor, Poppy," Professor McGonagall said. They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"Setting dementors around a school." She muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead.

"He won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate—"

"I'm not delicate!" Harry said crossly.

"Of course you're not," Madam Pomfrey said absentmindedly, now taking his pulse.

"What does he need? Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"I'm _fine_!" Harry said, jumping up.

"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least." Madam Pomfrey said, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.

"I've already had some. The professor on board gave me some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" Madam Pomfrey nodded approvingly.

"So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply.

"_Yes!_" Harry replied.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feat together."

Harry went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the Hospital Wing, muttering to herself. He had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall. Harry wanted to ask if she had decided not to take the useless courses, but he didn't want to say anything in front of the professor.

By the time they made it to the Great Hall, they had missed the Sorting and Dumbledore's opening speech. Harry and Hermione hurried to the seats Ron had saved for them as McGonagall made her way to the head table.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked as he piled food onto his plate. Harry rolled his eyes but explained about the checkup he had been subjected to.

"So Hermione, did you drop those classes?" Harry asked as he buttered a roll. Hermione nodded, making sure to swallow before she answered him.

"Yes, I asked Professor McGonagall and she said that I could take the OWLs for both classes in my Fifth year with the rest of the classes. I must thank you actually. If I'd done what I planned, I don't think I would've made it through one semester, let alone two." Harry nodded at his friend before explaining to a confused looking Ron about his earlier conversation with Hermione at the bookstore.

Ginny smiled at Harry's actions, the fact that he had made sure Ron took a meaningful class and keeping Hermione from overloading herself, and she felt herself slip a little deeper into the crush that she had been trying to fight. Only this time, it was a crush on Harry Potter, not on _The Boy Who Lived_.

Finally, as the last of the food disappeared and Harry felt like he was going to pop, Dumbledore stood to make his routine 'welcoming' speech.

"Welcome!" Dumbledore said, the candlelight shimmering on his beard.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I thought it best to wait until everyone was no longer distracted with the thought of food. As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us, I must make it plan that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises—or even Invisibility Cloaks." He added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other, knowing he was talking to them.

"It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors."

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively, since he was this year's Head Boy. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall and nobody moved or made a sound while they waited for him to continue.

"On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly concentered to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts. And as to our second new appointment, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs.

"However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game-keeping duties." Harry had been chatting with Neville and missed the beginning of the speech, until Hermione elbowed him in the ribs just in time for him to hear the announcement of Hagrid's new position.

Harry beamed, glad his assumption had been correct; Ron and Hermione shared a stunned look. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular.

Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby-red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table.

"Who else would have assigned us a biting book?" Harry, Ron and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"Well, I think that is everything of importance, now all of you have a good night's rest and be fresh for classes tomorrow."

The five Gryffindors joined their housemates, who were streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower. A large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd.

"The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"

The crowd made their way into the tower and after wishing the girls good night, the boys made their way up to their room. They had made it in before their other two dorm mates, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, so they quickly got ready for bed. Harry said good night to the others and crawled into the bed, glad to finally be home.

**AN: Please review and let me know what you think! And maybe, if there are enough reviews I will update sooner than planned. (hint hint, wink wink)**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: This chapter may paint the characters differently than they were portrayed in the book, and I realize that this is going to anger some of you. But, as the books have already been written (duh!) I want to look at things that J.K. Rowling really didn't touch on, or at least not enough for my liking. So if you're turned off by this chapter, or even the whole story, I'm sorry that it was disappointing to you, but please don't flame me. **

**Also, their schedules have been completely made up by me and I've posted them so that if you want to get an understanding of them, especially since I doubt I or you want me to go into that much detail, just go to my profile and click the link under schedules. I think that's all so I hope you like the chapter and will take the time to review and let me know what you guys think. And I apologize for any errors I don't catch, as I don't have a beta reader and I have been known to miss some surprisingly large mistakes.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the HP world, nor am I making any profit from this story. Chapter Edited 7/5/14.**

Chapter Six: First Day Back

Harry stared up at the red canopy, completely oblivious to the world around him. He had been awake for awhile, as sleep had been fleeting with a continuous stream of nightmares brought on by the dementors.

Harry shuddered at the thought of his parents' deaths. To finally know who his parents really were, what they were like had caused the pain over their loss to intensify. Before, he had only had his imagination and what others said about them to paint the picture of James and Lily.

Yet, now he had actual portraits of them, with their personalities and memories, and Harry was surprised to find that that connection made him a lot more aware of the fact that they weren't actually _there_.

Before the train ride, he had been consumed with elation over finding them and anger at Dumbledore for keeping them from him; yet, after the dementos, he still harbored that anger, but he also had to deal with his sadness.

Turning on his side, the young wizard fought off the gloomy thoughts and tried to think about happier things, such as the fact that he _did_ actually get to spend time with his family, even if only by paintings.

He smiled to himself as he thought about his father's antics and the knowing smile Lily was always giving both of them, or the disapproving tilt of her head when either of her boys did something she didn't approve of.

The fact that he had learned, well really mundane things, about his parents, like their favorite colors, was amazing to him. That joy battled inside the teen against the anger and sorrow, the loneliness; until, finally, Harry pulled himself from the bed and headed to the water closet, knowing he wasn't going to be able to resolve his feelings in only a few days, or weeks, or maybe even months.

Returning to the silent room with a minty-fresh mouth, Harry quietly opened his school trunk and pulled out the shrunken one within. Knowing how perceptive Hermione tended to be, he hadn't wanted to draw her attention to the fact that he had a new one, let alone one that was so exceptional.

While he had thought James had been overzealous for him to get the trunk, Harry actually had to admit that he was fascinated by it. He had only had a few hours to actually explore the massive interior and put all his belongings away, as the maker had not finished until the very last day of August.

Setting the trunk on the floor, he glanced around at his dormates to make sure they were still sleeping soundly before he quietly shrank the now empty school trunk and placed the other one in its place. Equally as quietly, he enlarged the multi-compartmental trunk.

He knew that the guys weren't going to notice the difference; he would just have to make sure and change them back before the train ride home, unless he showed Hermione the trunk before then. Harry didn't understand why, but he felt as if he should keep this to himself, at least for right now.

One of the neatest things Harry had figured out was that one didn't have to actually enter the trunk to use a room, such as the bedroom. If he wanted to use the bed, then obviously, he would have to enter, but he could access his dresser by tapping the dresser icon that was on the master suit icon. Or he could place things directly in the icebox in the kitchen by clicking on its picture, and so on.

Harry knew this would come in handy for everyday needs, as he wouldn't have to wake up super early or wait for his friends to leave before getting his clothes, which would probably make him late or really early to breakfast.

Also on the panel of icons that was on the front of the trunk was an infinity sign that allowed him to enter the trunk as a whole, with access to each of the rooms through a main hallway with connecting archways, instead of him being trapped in a single room.

This was the setting he liked the most, but knowing how early it was, Harry entered the master bedroom with the shrunken trunk to change into sweats. He placed the trunk on a shelf before moving over to his closet to get both workout and school clothes, before tapping the exit panel.

Quickly scanning the room once more to make sure no one had noticed his departure and arrival, Harry quickly tapped the gym icon and lowered himself into the room. The fact that he had to exit the trunk and reenter was a little annoying, but he supposed it was to keep any guest from being able to snoop through the owner's things.

If it hadn't been so early, he would simply have entered the whole trunk, but he didn't want to disturb his parent's portraits, which were now hanging over the fireplace in the library/office.

Once fully inside the room, Harry flipped the locking switch that was next to the exit panel, which would ensure that no one could open the trunk. It also turned the icons around, so that they simply looked like a strip of wood, another privacy measure that Harry was thankful for.

'_Well the thing cost enough! I mean, it is close to the price of a house!'_

Harry shook his head at his thoughts before he walked over to a matt, where he started stretching, which was all he remembered from his physical education classes from primary school. Once he was done, Harry looked around at the machines in bewilderment, not knowing where in the world he should start.

'_I'm only thirteen, so I don't think I'll be trying to get super abs or anything. But mum had a point when she said my Quidditch would be better if I was more in shape. I mean, sitting on a broom really doesn't add that much in the way of exercise. But I think she just said that to get me to start working out! Me and dad would do anything to improve our Quidditch skills. Wow, she's sneaky!'_

Harry smiled to himself, his previous gloom lifting fully. He might miss the actual closeness he would have had with real life parents, but he wouldn't give up those paintings for all the galleons in the world.

With a lighter mood, Harry moved over to a machine that simply had a flat surface and a stand. The information sheet that was with it, thankfully, explained that it was a treadmill and how it worked and what Harry was supposed to do on it.

Stepping onto the machine, Harry took a deep breath before he clicked the on button, than set it to its lowest setting. He double checked with the sheet before hitting the start button, not wanting his feet to be taken out from under him.

Surprisingly, the setting was indeed low, even in Harry's opinion, as it was a slow walking pace. Feeling better about himself, Harry set it to the next level, and while it wasn't that much faster, he left it there, knowing that it was about endurance rather than speed. If he tried running right now, he would be able to do it for a little while, but then would probably fall off the machine.

Happy with his pace, Harry continued to work on the treadmill for forty minutes, which was the amount of time the sheet recommended for beginners. Once done, Harry showered in the adjourning bathroom before dressing in his school robes and exiting the trunk, throwing his dirty clothes in his hamper and moving to wake Ron up for breakfast.

/*/

Harry scanned his timetable, noting that their first class was Herbology, followed by DADA before lunch. Thankfully, the first day of classes was a Thursday, which meant they only had two days of classes.

Unfortunately, Harry saw that they had double Potions after lunch, which was a really killjoy. He didn't even glance up at the head table, knowing that even the sight of Professor Snape would put him in a bad mood. After the last two years of harassment, he was really hoping that he might be able to slip under the man's radar. He snorted to himself at the thought, knowing there was _no_ way that would _ever_ happen.

"Wat' so funn'" Ron asked, the question coming out jumbled as he had just stuffed a piece of ham into his mouth. Hermione scowled at him and began to berate him for speaking with his mouth full.

Harry rolled his eyes at his two bickering friends and turned back to his schedule, glad he had talked Hermione out of taking all the classes. From his own schedule, he could see very little time for a breather between classes, as they were back to back.

'_Well, you are taking three more classes than last year. And you have a light Friday, which is good.'_

Harry tried to see the upside, even though it was very clear that this year would be extremely hard. He should have only picked Arithmancy _or_ Ancient Runes, instead of both, but he had wanted in impress his mother with his willingness to actually work hard.

Now, instead of having a free period, he had each elective class twice a week, but thankfully only had others, like Potions, once a week.

"Man, I can't believe we have _History of Magic_ first thing on Monday!" Ron moaned, having finally ended the argument with Hermione by swallowing his food and looking sheepish. Hermione rolled her eyes and turned back to her own timetable, memorizing it before turning back to the conversation.

"Well, look at it this way, mate, as long as you grab your books for the next class, than you barely have to wake up. You can eat breakfast and go back to sleep!" Harry said, clapping the red head on the back.

Ron perked up and smiled at the thought of being able to sleep during his first class of the week, before lowering his eyes to his plate when Hermione's glare scorched them.

"I cannot believe either of you! How you expect to pass your OWLs when you don't take anything seriously is beyond me!" Hermione huffed before standing, grabbing her timesheet before marching off to talk with Professor McGonagall.

Harry and Ron shared a look before quietly chuckling to themselves and continuing to eat. Harry had just finished off his plate when Hermione slumped back into her seat, a look of concern on her face.

"What's wrong 'Mione? I thought you wouldn't talk to us until we got to class." Harry said, his smile slowly disappearing when Hermione continued to look worried.

"I just noticed Ginny hasn't been to breakfast, so I was going to pick up her timetable for her so she wouldn't be late for her first class. But Professor McGonagall said she already picked it up, which means she either had breakfast a lot sooner than everyone else, or she hasn't had anything to eat." Hermione said quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear her.

The three of them hadn't really talked about the obvious changes in the youngest Weasley, and she didn't want to draw any more attention to the problem.

Harry jerked up in his seat, his gaze roving across the massive table, looking for the tell-tell red hair. But, as Hermione had just pointed out, the girl was indeed missing. Harry felt himself flush with shame, as he had fallen right back into his normal routine, which included eating breakfast and joking around with Ron and Hermione.

It was as if the last week hadn't happened, like he hadn't talked with Ginny and promised he would be there for her if she needed it. Harry could imagine the scolding he would get from his mother, who had already made it clear that she expected him to treat Ginny as more than a friend's sister.

"She probably just woke up early and got here before us." Harry said, not knowing if he believed himself.

Ginny was clearly still suffering from the previous year, and without actually knowing how she was over the summer, he was completely guessing. Ron's eyes remained glued to his plate, something both Hermione and Harry noticed.

Ron wasn't allowed to talk about the summer, about the screaming and anger and grief. Molly Weasley had made it very clear that if any of them talked about their sister's condition with anyone outside the family, a Howler would be to least of their worries.

He tried not to be irritated with his sister, but because of her excessive behavior, his friends would probably think he was a bad brother. And the rumors had already started from last night's feast, people mumbling about his sister being…sick.

He didn't understand why she couldn't simply get over her problems and move on, especially since it was making things very awkward for him with Harry and Hermione, which Ron was angry about.

'_She should really think about others for once! Look what she's doing to my life!'_

Ron scowled into his pancakes, his appetite actually fading as his thoughts grew darker and darker about Ginny. It had been different during the summer, when they hadn't been around anyone else and everyone had been fully aware of her night terrors.

But now, with a school full of people just waiting for some piece of gossip to sink their teeth into, Ron didn't know why Ginny would put her family through this. It was shaming for them, having others know that they couldn't take care of their own, and Ron couldn't stand the thought of having anything else to be ashamed about.

'_You heard what Malfoy said on the train! He called her a skeleton, and she had on baggy clothes! She's made an even larger target of us with the arses from Slytherin!'_

Harry watched his friend as he slowly grew more and more angry. He might not have said a word, but after two years of friendship, Harry recognized when that particular emotion was rising in Ron. His ears were an alarming red and his face was tight, his jaw clenched hard, until Harry could swear he heard the boy's teeth grinding together.

He guessed that Ron was mad about them talking about Ginny, so he and Hermione silently agreed to drop the topic. Even though Harry was still irritated with himself about forgetting about the girl so quickly, he knew when to leave something alone.

The three set in silence until it was time for them to collect their books and head to class, the mood only lifting when Neville accidently knocked over a strange plant that then proceeded to wobble around in its pot, attempting to chase the clumsy boy.

/*/

Pulling the almost completely dull pencil away from the pad, Ginny stared down into the eyes of her tormentor. She wasn't sure if this was exactly how Tom Riddle looked, as she had been unconscious during Harry's fight, but she _felt_ that the figure on her sketch pad was the embodiment of the boy.

His face, which was covered in shadows, was snake-like, as if caught between transitions from man to snake. It was the same nightmare that followed her into sleep, never easing its tight grip on her mind and the guilt she was consumed by.

'_I almost got people killed! Hermione could have died! If any of them had looked that thing in the eyes! And Harry! I'm surprised he even speaks to me now, not that he did a lot last year. But he was really nice before school started. I can't believe I almost got him killed.'_

Ginny shut her note pad, tears filling her eyes at the thought of how close many people had come to death. Both of her brother's best friends had been put in jeopardy because she hadn't been strong enough to fight off Riddle. Cursing herself and her thoughts, Ginny swung her head to peer out the window, desperately wanting anything to distract her.

'_You don't deserve to have a distraction. You're an embarrassment to your family and the school! Everyone knows what you did, what you are! Remember how Colin flinched when you bumped into him? They all blame you…and they're right!'_

Ginny tried to push the thoughts away, which actually sounded like what Riddle had in her mind. The voice of the thoughts was sinister, dripping with malice, and the girl just wanted it to stop.

'_If you want it to stop, you know what you can do about it.'_

Ginny glanced down, noting the distance the window was from the ground. She was up in the Astronomy Tower, which meant a fall from it would surely kill her. Ginny dropped her sketch pad, her fingers trembling as she griped the edge of the windowsill.

'_It could all be over in seconds. Don't you want that peace?'_

"NO!" Ginny flung herself away from the window, landing with a gasp on the hard stone floor. She curled into herself, her body shaking with fear, not only of the fall, but that she had actually thought about it. It _would_ be so easy, too easy.

'_I am not a quitter! I will conquer you, Riddle! I swear it! I will not give into you because I am a Weasley, and we might be poor, but we're loyal and brave, and I'm brave enough to stay alive!'_

Ginny swore she could almost hear the "voice" of Riddle hiss inside her mind as she made her stand. She shakily got back to her feet and quickly grabbed her school bag, not wanting to be in the tower a minute longer.

'_I can't believe I even thought about that! I'm only twelve, for Merlin's sake! I have my entire life ahead of me, and Tom Riddle is not going to defeat me! I won't be so easily manipulated every again! Harry doesn't blame me for what happened, and he had to fight a basilisk! If he can forgive me, than I should be able to forgive myself!' _

Feeling more sure of herself, more in control then she had in months, Ginny set off for the Great Lake, knowing there was no way she would be able to sit through History of Magic, especially since she was afraid napping would only bring another nightmare.

She might have just fought against her inner demon, but Ginny doubted that it would be that easy. Not after months of night terrors and depression and anger. No, it would definitely take more than one day of rebellion to overcome her fears.

Ginny quickly made her way down through the corridors and stairs to the entrance, wishing that she knew of a shortcut to get from the tallest tower to the main floor.

'_It's a good thing Hogwarts is made out of stone, because a fire in this place would be horrible! The walls would be crumbling while you were trying to flee down a thousand stairs!'_

A little out of breath, Ginny paused by the grand doors to gain her bearings after running down so quickly. She was surprised that going down was so taxing, as it was definitely easier than going up.

'_Man, I have got to get into shape. That should not have made me lose my breath!'_

Once her breathing was under control, she went to open the door when she heard a whistle. Looking up at the noise, Ginny's eyes widened as a giant balloon fell onto her upturned face.

She groaned as ice cold water drenched her upper body, knowing that it was probably the work of the damn poltergeist, Peeves. Her suspicion was confirmed when the annoying pest whizzed pasted her, cackling in joy.

"You know Gin-Gin, you could have just taken a shower."

"But, if you insist, we'd be happy to help you out."

Ginny twirled to see her twin brothers, giant grins on their faces as they whipped out their wands. She narrowed her eyes at them, slowly drawing her own wand, daring them to blast her with more water.

Fred and George looked at each other, debating if they really wanted to rile her. Her Bat-Boogey hex was legendary in the Weasley household, as was her temper. Slowly lowering their wands, they sighed as their pixie of a sister lowered hers.

"Ah, c'mon Gin-Gin, you know we were just messing around."

"Yeah, we would never prank our darling sister!"

Ginny rolled her eyes at the two and slid her wand back into the wand holster Harry had given her, which was hidden up her robe sleeve, attached to her forearm. It had taken some getting used to, but Ginny agreed with Harry, thinking they should be mandatory for all students, since most stuck them in their back pockets or in their hair.

Now, instead of having to struggle to get her wand out, Ginny just had to either grab it out of its holster or fling her arm down, which would cause the wand to shoot into her waiting hand.

"Is there a reason you're here?" Ginny asked, her recurring irritation cropping back up.

She had really been controlled by her emotions lately, and her earlier resolve to not let anything control her again didn't really work with regards to those pesky emotions. She guessed that until she did actually overcome her experience, the ups and downs in her moods would just be part of the process.

"Well…we were going to show you a secret, since you are our favorite sister—"

"Well, our only sister really Gred."

"Right you are brother of mine."

"So as our only sister, we wanted to share a secret with you."

"Something no one else knows about."

"Really? You want to share a 'secret' with me, but it's not a prank?" Ginny's voice was thick with skepticism. The twins shared a look before each of them grabbed an arm, steering her towards the stairs leading to the lower levels of the castle.

"You wound us with your doubt!"

Ginny rolled her eyes at Fred, going along with them because she knew it was useless to fight them. When they wanted something, there was very little that could deter them; not even an angry Molly Weasley was effective.

"Are you even going to give me a hint as to where we're going?" Ginny asked, irritation clearly evident. She had just wanted to sit out by the lake until Herbology, to try and relax after she nearly jumped out a damn window.

'_Don't think about it! Jeez, you're never going to get a hold of yourself if you keep thinking about it._'

Ginny clenched her jaw, angry at herself. The two brothers saw her look, and misinterpreting her anger, they quickened their pace, not wanting Ginny to bite their heads off before they arrived at the destination.

"Now, hinting about it would ruin the surprise."

"Ah, here we are!" George said excitedly as they arrived at a painting of a fruit bowl.

Ginny looked around the corridor, not understanding what exactly the surprise was. She was about to yell at them for wasting her time when Fred reach out a hand and lightly tickled the pear. Yes, he actually tickled it.

Ginny frowned at her older brothers, thinking they had finally lost their minds, when the pear let out a giggle and turned into a green door knob. George grinned back at her before disappearing, and after a nudge from Fred, the youngest Weasley followed.

"Welcome to the Hogwarts kitchens."

Ginny's mouth dropped open in shock, completely taken off guard. The room was huge, with tremendously high ceilings and house elves running around. She got a glimpse of four tables identical to the ones in the Great Hall before she was pulled over to a corner of the room, where a table and chairs sat.

"How…how in the world did you find this?" Ginny asked, her eyes never leaving the scene of what had to be hundreds of elves moving about in the giant room, and then disappearing through several doors.

"Ah, we had some help from some…alumni." Fred said, sharing a secret smirk with his brother. Ginny was about to pester him with more questions, her earlier irritation completely over ridden by awe, when a house elf appeared in front of the table.

"Good morning, would the masters like anything to eat?" The female elf asked, bowing low in her tea towel toga.

"Yes, actually, that would be great! Thanks, Coxy." George said, smiling at the little creature. She bowed low again, her huge eyes showing her affection for the two Weasleys.

"Wow, I take it you come here a lot?" Ginny asked, watching as the elf, Coxy, hurried over to some other elves, who then disappeared.

"Yeah, whenever we're feeling peckish really. Where do you think we get the food for our parties?"

"I didn't know you had parties. Interesting…does mum know about these get-togethers?" Ginny asked, a devious smirk appearing on her face. The boys' eyes widened before they quickly tried to backpedal, but Ginny just shook her head and laughed at them.

"Too late now, boys, I've already stored that piece of information away for a raining day." She gave them her best innocent look, which was ruined because she was still smirking.

"Good going Fred."

"It was an accident!"

"We're never going to hear the end of this!"

"Anyway, we wanted to show this to you so that you had access to it anytime you wanted it." Fred said, rolling his eyes at his twin. Seriously, he hadn't meant to spill the beans. Luckily, Ginny had always been more like them then their other siblings, so he wasn't worried.

Coxy and the other elves brought over plates laden with food, while another one brought over a tray with milk, pumpkin juice and tea. Ginny stared at the food, not believing that someone could really just ask for it and it would appear. She had missed many meals the year before, but without access to the kitchens or Hogsmeade for snacks, she had just had to make due.

"Thank you so much. This looks delicious!" Ginny said, giving the elves a smile. They bowed low and moved away, going back to their chores.

"I wished you guys would've shown me this last year! I could've been eating well when I missed meals." Ginny said, only realizing after the statement was already out that she revealed a previously unknown secret.

She kept her eyes on her plate, not wanting to see the pitying looks she was sure were on their faces. George and Fred shared a look, surprised to learn that her eating poorly had actually started before the summer.

"Well, we just wanted you to know that it was here. In case you miss breakfast again or something comes up." George said quietly, knowing how sensitive the girl was to her condition.

It would surprise most people to learn that the twins knew when to be serious, and this was a very serious-needed moment; so they remained quiet, wanting to give support without blame. Unlike their younger brother, the twins could actually see the trouble Ginny was in and they wanted to help her heal, not merely force her to be 'all better'.

"Thank you. I-I didn't mean to miss breakfast. I had…and I lost track of time…I really didn't mean to." Ginny whispered, her wonder over the kitchens evaporating, leaving the broken girl in its place. George swung his arm around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze.

"We know, Gin-Gin. We were just worried, is all. You're doing great! We're not judging you." George whispered, not sure if house elves gossiped, since they worked for the entire school and not one master. If they did, he didn't want them talking about his sister and her…eating issues.

"I'm judging me. The school's judging me. You should too." Ginny wiped at her eyes, angry that she was breaking down. She had promised herself not even an hour ago to be stronger, to fight harder, and she was already breaking down into tears.

"Let others say what they want, the only thing that matters is that your family loves you and we are _not_ judging you. What you went through…I don't think I would've been able to handle it for a day, let alone almost a year!"

Ginny looked up at her brothers, amazed at the serious expressions they wore. She had seen this side of them before, but never to such a degree that there was absolutely no laughter in their eyes. They were utterly somber.

"I…I'm sorry. For everything…this summer…and last year…I'm just so sorry." Ginny broke out into fresh tears, her arms wrapping around herself, as if to keep herself from falling apart. George pulled her fully into his arms, allowing her to cry into his chest as he exchanged sad, worried looks with his brother.

"Shh, it's okay Gin. There's nothing to forgive. You were manipulated, nothing more. The only thing at fault is that blasted diary, not you, sweets." Fred said, rubbing her back soothingly.

Ginny continued to cry, all the pent up anger and grief over her actions pouring out of her. She couldn't believe she was actually breaking down in front of anyone, let alone her twin, goofy brothers. But she had to admit that she felt a little better as the tears tapered off, leaving her hiccupping and with the start of a headache.

Pulling back, she glanced up at George, who did not have any humor on his face. She thought maybe they would make a joke about her fit, but he just smiled at her softly and gave her a hug.

Ginny gripped him hard, overcome with gratitude for the two. She had never thought either of them would be the ones she could, or would, turn to in distress, but they were actually proving to be very supportive. She let go of him, turning to give Fred a Molly worthy hug as well.

"Thank you…I-I'm trying to get better. I am! I promise…I just…it's hard." She said, her voice hoarse.

"We know, Gin-Gin. And we're here to help in any way we can." Fred said.

The three sat at the table, talking about meaningless things in an effort to lighten the mood. By the time she had to literally run out of the kitchens to be on time for Herbology, Ginny felt alive for the first time in months. She actually had a smile on her face and her heart was lighter, allowing her to enjoy the day, instead of swimming in the ever present misery.

'_Take that, Tom Riddle. I have family that supports and loves me, no matter what! You can't take that away from me! And I __**will**__beat you!'_

Ginny felt like she was mentally sticking her tongue out at the imaginary puppeteer, but even with how foolish it was, she didn't care. She might not be happy all the time, but at least she now knew that, besides Harry, there were people out there willing to help her. It wouldn't have to be her fight alone, something that Ginny was extremely thankful for.

"Hey Colin, can I talk to you for a moment?" She asked as she entered the greenhouse.

The small boy's eyes widened before he slowly nodded, moving around her cautiously. She felt horrible for the fear that he still felt, knowing that it would take time for him, and for her, to fully recover.

"I'm…I'm really sorry Colin. I know…" Ginny stopped, having to take a deep breath to settle her nerves.

"I know, technically, it wasn't my fault about what happened, but…well I know that it _is_ my fault. I'm really sorry about what happened to you."

Colin's large eyes watched her, unsure of how he should respond. She was the reason he had been petrified, if not by her hands, then by her actions. But, Colin was a forgiving persona and there weren't that many Gryffindors his age, as their group had been relatively small.

"I've heard about what happened. And I…well I did blame you. And I'm sorry about that. It was just so frightening and I needed someone to point to, and you were the only one left that fit. So…I'll accept your apology, if you'll accept mine." His high pitch voice squeaked, knowing he had to forgive her.

'_It's what Harry would do. Oh…she's Ron's sister, which means she knows Harry! Maybe she can get him to take a picture with me!'_

"I accept then!" Ginny said, smiling at the boy. Colin returned the grin, before the two second years stepped back in front of their plants, Professor Sprout beginning her lecture.

/*/

"Uhg! What a horrible class! You would think that man would at least give you a break on the first day!"

Ginny nearly jumped out of her skin when Hermione's voice sounded close to her chair. Looking up from her Defense book, Ginny was surprised to see Hermione and Harry setting their things down before sitting in chairs in front of hers.

"I'd never expect Snape to be nice to me, for any reason. I'm just sorry he took so many points!" Harry said, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

He had had a pretty good morning, with his Herbology and Defense before lunch, but Potions had literally almost killed him. Snape took points from him for not wearing glasses, for moving fast to avoid a cauldron explosion from Neville, and actually _breathing too loud_!

"Still, that man is completely unreasonable. I mean, I'm sure Professor Dumbledore has a good reason for having him here, but he should not be allowed to treat students this way!" Hermione literally huffed and puffed, completely riled up. She simply could not understand how a professor could get away with such ill treatment.

"Well, Dumbledore doesn't always make the best decisions. He kept me in the dark about my inheritance, and I think that was a big mistake." Harry said, the last part coming out closer to an angry snarl than was strictly necessary.

But the thought of what the old man had kept from him, his parents, made Harry's vision begin to turn red. He had tried avoiding thinking or talking about the Headmaster, as he was afraid he might blow something, or someone, up again.

"Well…maybe he just didn't want you to…get a big head or something. I mean, I'm sure he had a good reason for doing so." Hermione murmured, knowing that the great Albus Dumbledore would not do anything to hurt anyone, at least not intentionally.

'_I mean, he wouldn't be regarded as the greatest wizard of modern times if he didn't deserve it! Harry's just hurt and mad, but he'll get over it.'_

"I agree with Harry. Dumbledore doesn't always know or do the right thing." Ginny's quiet voice interrupted Hermione's thoughts. The two turned to look at the small girl, having temporarily forgotten she was there.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ginny! Professor Dumbledore does what he believes is right, or for the best. He would never intentionally keep something from Harry unless it was for Harry's own good." Hermione said, clearly irritated that both of them were disagreeing with her.

Harry and Ginny shared a look, knowing that there would be no way to talk Hermione into their way of thinking, as she still clung to her belief in Dumbledore and authority.

"So, how was your day, Ginny?" Harry asked, pulling his notebook, pen, and Potions book out. If he could get started on the homework now, then hopefully he would have it done before the weekend.

'_Stupid Snape! I can't believe he assigned three rolls of parchment! And on the first day! Arse!'_

"It was ok, I guess. I missed my History class this morning by accident, and then only had Herbology before lunch. So I've actually been here since, trying to get ahead a little in my classes." Ginny said, holding up her Defense book to show Harry that she only had a little more to go.

"It's good that you're trying to get ahead, Ginny. Although, you really shouldn't miss classes!" Hermione said, giving the younger girl a disapproving frown. Ginny rolled her eyes, getting irritated herself at Hermione's tone.

"It was only History, and I would've slept through it anyways, so I don't really see the problem." Ginny's voice was harsher than she meant for it to be, but she couldn't seem to get herself to care.

After the emotional morning with her distressing thoughts and bonding with her brothers, Ginny was completely over trying to play nice; especially with people who she thought needed to remove their wands from certain places.

"Well really! You'll never pass your classes that way! I'm going to go where I can actually _work_." Hermione bit out, infuriated with the young girl.

Professors and classes deserved respect and Ginny's attitude and carelessness rubbed her the wrong way. She grabbed her bag and marched off to the girls' dormitory, where she could get some peace and quiet.

"Wow, I didn't know she'd get so upset. I guess I should keep my opinions to myself in the future." Ginny mumbled, glancing over at Harry.

He'd watched his friend storm off, confused as to why she took everything as a personal attack. He turned back to the redhead, giving her a small smile and shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know what's wrong with her. If I didn't have History with her, I would skip it too. Ron and I sleep in it anyways, so I don't see the point of going either. So, I um…noticed today in Defense that you were logged on, but…you didn't respond to anyone's writing. Does your notebook not work?" Harry asked, his cheeks flushing a little.

During the class, when they hadn't been dealing with the boggart, he'd tried to ask if she was doing ok, since she had missed breakfast, but she hadn't responded. He felt embarrassed for even trying to talk with her, but his mother's words kept him from shrugging it off his shoulders.

He needed to try and get her more involved in the group, needed to let her know that there were people around that were there for her if she needed them.

"Oh…I was in Herbology and we were planting. But…well…I'm actually not sure if I'll use that side of the notebook, to be honest." Ginny whispered, feeling herself flush with embarrassment. Harry had developed and given her the amazing device and she hadn't even responded to his messages.

"Is something wrong with it?" Harry was confused, as his, Ron's and Hermione's had worked marvelously.

They had been able to have private conversations, while also taking notes during class, which was great in Potions. He watched as Ginny seemed to steel herself, taking a few deep breaths before squaring her shoulders and meeting his gaze.

"I'm not comfortable using it, Harry. I'm really sorry, because I know how much work and money you must have put into them. And I love mine, really, I do. But…the messaging portion reminds me…reminds me of _him_ and…" Ginny trailed off, her nerve wavering as she went on.

She didn't want to disappoint him, her hero, but she just couldn't bring herself to write in something that responded to her. She almost laughed at how wide Harry's eyes got, but she was too scared of his reaction to appreciate the humor.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry! I didn't even think about that! Of course it would remind you. What was I thinking?" Harry berated himself, not believing he had been so clueless. He had essentially given her another book that was like the blasted diary, and he hadn't even realized it.

"Harry, the notebook is a genius idea, I swear. It's just going to take me some time to, well to get over last year. I know everyone is waiting for me to…just get over it, but it's going to take time." Ginny said, reaching across the space between their chairs to squeeze his hand in reassurance.

They both jumped when their hands warmed where they were touching; Ginny quickly pulled hers back in awkwardness, not knowing what had happened.

"I'm still really sorry about it bringing back memories, Ginny. If there's anything I can do, you know, to help you, just let me know. I don't want you to feel like you're alone, because you're not. You have a lot of people who are happy to help you if needed." Harry murmured, his green eyes piercing into Ginny.

She felt her breath catch, completely unprepared for the impact of those eyes, now that they weren't hidden behind taped glasses.

'_The girls are going to be all over him! He just looks…so much more mature now. Focus Ginny, he's waiting for a reply!'_

"Thank you Harry, that means a lot to me. I think things are headed up now, but I will keep that in mind." She smiled, feeling herself sliding further into the 'crushing on' pit. Even though she was mad at herself for doing so, Ginny couldn't seem to help herself, as Harry just kept surprising her and making her crush harder.

'_Well, at least this time it's on Harry, not __**Harry Potter**__. I mean, he's just so nice…and cute…jeez, get a hold of yourself!'_

"It's not a problem Ginny; I'd do the same for all my friends. Now I have a question, something that's been on my mind since Diagon Alley. How in the world did you know anything about patents and stuff? Ragniok, my manager, was very surprised I got the idea from someone so young."

"Oh, I heard the twins discussing them over the summer. They want to open up a joke shop once they graduate, and apparently they want to begin to get their inventions patented so that no one can steal them while they save up for the shop."

"Oh, they'd be great doing that! They must really want to do it, because I imagine that would take a lot of time and patience." Harry said, his voice showing his utter shock at thinking the twins could be serious about something.

Ginny giggled in agreement, knowing that many people would be very amazed to know the twins were not always childish.

"Yeah, I think they'll do amazing. They're the best at playing jokes that I know of, so why not make money doing it? By the way, what did your manager say about the notebooks?"

"He said it was a great idea, and that he would look into finding a way to mass-produce them. Ragniok mentioned that it'd probably take some time, and that he'd let me know his findings when he writes about my accounts. I know it wasn't my idea, but I'm actually excited about it and am looking forward to showcasing them. I'm hoping they'll be ready before next school year, so people don't have to buy more than one. Thank you for the idea! I probably would've never thought about selling them to the public."

Ginny seemed to blossom under his praise, her smile losing any trace of pain or hurt that it had been carrying.

"You're welcome, Harry! I actually think you're doing the students of Hogwarts a service by producing them! I know my bag was a lot lighter with only my books and one notebook. Oh, and I wanted to thank you for the bag of pens you gave me. I love them! I, hmm, tripped a little today, and instead of my ink bottle breaking and covering everything inside, it was fine. The pen didn't even leak!" Ginny said, blushing when she admitted to tripping. She wasn't the clumsiest person, but she wasn't immune to the affliction either.

"No problem, Gin. They're actually really inexpensive, so I'd be happy to buy in bulk for you guys. I know they have self-inking quills, but I think it's easier to write with a pen." Harry shrugged, amazed that they'd been able to have a serious, and then not so serious, conversation.

'_She didn't blush that much either! Maybe now we can actually be friends, since she said she was over that crush. This is great! I'll get a new friend, and my mum can stop pestering me about talking to her!'_

Harry and Ginny slipped into a comfortable silence, both of them turning back to their books. She kept taking peeks at the raven haired boy, thrilled she had been able to actually communicate with him.

'_Take that crush! No more elbows in the butter dish for this girl!'_

Ginny hid a laugh at her thoughts before focusing on her Defense book, wanting to finish it before dinner. Things were indeed looking up for her, and she hoped that things would continue to get better.

Tom Riddle was not going to rule her life for another year, and she was going to show everyone that she was stronger than him. That she wouldn't be used and manipulated again, that she would make her stand.

Ginny felt lighter than she had in months, her outlook on the future bright. She would conquer everything that got in her way, and would never again be the victim.

'_I am a survivor, and I __**will**__ defeat my demons! I'm Ginny Weasley, and I don't know the meaning of the word quit. I'm stronger than any adversary and will not let anything get in the way of my goals!'_

The two sat in silence until it was time for dinner, where they were joined by Ron and Hermione. The two seemed to be irritated with the youngest Weasley, but she shrugged it off and continued to converse with Harry, determined that she wouldn't be left out any more. She'd be part of the 'golden trio', no matter what Ron or Hermione thought.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: So if I begged forgiveness, would any of you give it? I'm very sorry that I let this story just sit here; I lost my inspiration and got wrapped up in other stories. I know that doesn't make it up to you, but I am sorry and will hopefully be able to finish this story.

Just a quick note, I have received comments about how Harry and Hermione are not being portrayed the way they are in the book, but that's the point. If I wanted to read about the characters just as they were written, I would reread the books.

I'm trying to create an amazing story, with strong individuals that are able to stand on their own, as well as to morph into a group. So if you don't like the way they are being written, I apologize and suggest you find a new story. I'll be extremely sorry to lose any of you as readers, but I'm not going to snap them back into JKR's portrayal.

Also, I don't understand the population of Hogwarts at all! There are supposed to be around 800 – 1000 students, but there are only 10 students per year mentioned, so that leaves 20 or so students missing in each year and house. Also, the Gryffindor dormitory is confusing, as if there are about 30 students per year, than there would have to be more dormitories, and the Gryffindor Tower doesn't seem large enough.

So in this story, there are more, unknown students and the tower is magically enhanced, like the tents in GoF. But like JKR, I'm not going to give that much focus to something that doesn't really have much significance. Just know that when you see names you don't recognize, it's because they're made up!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related, nor am I making a profit off this story.**

Chapter Seven: Blossoming Friendships and a Stupid Slytherin

Harry slowly made his way into the library in his trunk, body aching from the workouts he'd put himself through the past two days. He hoped that he'd build up his muscles quickly, as the young wizard did not relish the thought of suffering from a sore body for an extended period of time. The manual in the gym had mentioned that it'd take time for him to build up his endurance; Harry just prayed the time passed quickly.

"Good morning, sweetie." Lily's cheerful voice greeted him as he walked into the room, brightening his morning. He'd had another nightmare the night before, causing him to shoot awake at two in the morning and he had trouble getting back to sleep.

"Morning, mum, dad." He replied, giving the portraits a small smile as he settled into the plush chair behind the desk. He pulled out the book on Goblin customs he'd been reading on the train, as he'd already read up on his arithmancy and still couldn't get his monster book open.

"How was your first day?" James questioned, since Harry hadn't visited them the day before. Harry sat the book down and looked up at his parents, still a little overwhelmed at having them to talk to whenever he wanted.

"It was good, until potions, that is. The morning was great. I had Herbology, which I'm not very good at, but then we had Defense, which was brilliant. Our new professor let us face a boggart instead of lecturing. Well…not all of us; I didn't get a chance to do it, which was a little disappointing.

"It's the strangest thing, but I feel like I should know the Defense professor. Which doesn't make any sense, seeing as I don't really know that many people in the Wizarding world outside of school." Harry shrugged, not too bothered by the mystery. It was just a strange feeling.

"Who's the professor?" Lily asked, wondering if maybe it was someone he'd known when he was a baby, before…before.

"Remus Lupin." Harry supplied, getting the nagging feeling he should recognize the name again. He wasn't expecting James and Lily to burst into large smiles.

"Remus Lupin? He was one of the Marauders, Harry. I'm sure I've mentioned him, so that's why his name was familiar." James said, joy filling his heart at the thought of his friend.

"Really? He knew you guys?" Harry's eyes got wide, the possibility of actually knowing someone who'd been friends with his parents sending excitement spiraling through him. Having their portraits was great, but it'd be extraordinary to have a physical connection to his dead parents, such as an old friend.

"He was one of my best friends. He and Lily were the master minds behind a lot of our pranks. It's strange though, that he's teaching here. With all the anti-werewolf laws, I'm surprised Dumbledore was allowed to appoint him." Lily's brow furrowed as she contemplated his words before coming to the most likely conclusion.

"Unless no one knows about Remus. His secret wasn't exposed before we made these portraits, so it's possible that it's still secret to this day. But it's too much of a coincidence that Remus was brought in at the same time that Sirius escaped from Azkaban." Lily murmured, bringing James down from his high.

"You're right, Lils. He obviously wanted to keep an eye on him incase Sirius tries to contact him. And maybe to offer Harry a connection to us as well."

"Okay, hold on just a minute." Harry said, raising his hands to try and stop his parents' conversation. Two pairs of eyes met his as they quieted down, waiting for him to continue.

"You're telling me that Remus Lupin, my Defense teacher, is a werewolf?" James fidgeted in his frame, clearly not having meant to reveal such a secret.

"Yes, Harry. But it wasn't something he chose; he was attacked when he was only a child. Remus is one of the gentlest men I've ever met, so I would hate for you to begin to fear him for something he cannot help." Lily spoke quietly, her mother voice coming out. Harry could almost literally feel the pressure of her words and the desire not to disappoint her.

"I…should he really be around so many people, though?" He muttered, the picture of a giant wolf snarling coming to mind.

"Hogwarts is safe for him, don't worry. Dumbledore, no matter his faults, would never let someone with the potential to be dangerous in the castle without a plan already in place." James said, not wanting to reveal the reason behind the Whomping Willow, since he'd already said too much.

"I guess so. Professor Lupin seems like a nice guy and it sucks that that happened to him." Harry said, feeling sorry for the man. It explained the scarring, however.

"He is; I'm sure you'll end up liking him a lot. Just don't judge him, Harry." Lily responded, giving him a soft smile that he returned.

"As long as he doesn't try to bite me, I think I can do that." James let out a laugh at his son's words, glad he seemed oddly mature for his age.

He'd not have been surprised if he'd, a mere 13 year old, had gone screaming in fear to the Headmaster, demanding Remus's resignation. The man within the portrait was extremely proud of the young man Harry was turning into, despite all the horrifying things he'd had to live through.

"And, son, please keep this to yourself." Harry nodded at James in acknowledgement before he checked his watch, noting it was close to breakfast time. He hadn't used his dad's watch that morning, not wanting to over use it, so he needed to get out of the trunk before his roommates woke up.

"I gotta get going. I'll see you guys later." He waved bye to them before quickly exiting the trunk, faintly hearing his dad start to try and come up with a way to use Remus to clear Sirius's name.

When he emerged from the trunk, goblin book in hand, he saw that the others were just starting to stir. He debated waking Ron, but since they didn't have class until after lunch, he wasn't sure if his friend would even stir until then. Deciding to leave him in peace, Harry made his way down to the common room, where he was surprised to find Ginny, charms book in her lap.

"Morning, Gin." Harry said quietly as he joined her, sitting in the chair across from hers. Ginny gave a startled yelp, eyes flying up to meet his as her pulse jerked in her chest from fright.

"You scared me!" She said, palm going to her chest to try and stop the pounding. Harry blushed a little, not having meant to frighten her.

"Sorry." Ginny gave a good natured sigh and smiled, letting him know he was forgiven.

"You're up really early." Harry observed as he got comfortable in his chair. Ginny's eyes darted down to focus on the book in her lap, face flushing.

"I, uh…I had trouble sleeping." The wizard looked back up at her, taking note of the dark bruises under her eyes that hadn't lessened since he'd first seen her in Diagon Alley.

"Nightmares?" She shrugged, embarrassed that he'd discovered that she was still so weak as to be suffering from night terrors.

"I'm sorry, Gin. I know how horrible they are. I've been having them too, which is why I'm up too." Okay, so the last part wasn't completely true, but it was close enough to it that he didn't feel that bad about it.

"R-Really?" The thought that her hero was also a victim of nightmares made her look up, a hopeful look on her face. She didn't _want_ Harry to have nightmares, but the knowledge that he did was reassuring to the young witch. Because if Harry struggled with demons, then she must not be as weak as she'd been thinking she was since the summer.

"Yeah. They've gotten bad since the dementor on the train. I wish there was a way to just get a good night's sleep, you know." Harry mumbled.

"Yeah. The only thing I can think of is Dreamless Sleep Potion, but it's very addictive. My mum's told me stories of people getting so hooked on it that they died from being so tired their bodies just shut down or overdosing on the potion." Ginny said, giving a shudder as she recalled the tales. She wasn't sure if they were completely true or were embellished to frighten young children, but they made her very weary of using the potion none the less.

"Sounds awful." The boy responded, getting a nod of affirmative from Ginny.

The two lapsed into a comfortable silence, both returning to their books. They read for a good half hour before students began emerging from the staircases, many headed to the Great Hall with a quiet hello to the two.

"Guess it's time to get some breakfast." Ginny sighed, not really hungry, but knowing she needed to eat. She needed to get healthy and skipping meals was not the way to go about getting there.

"Yeah. I'm just gonna wait for Hermione if you wanted to go down together." Harry said, eyes peering at the girls' staircase.

"Uh, sure." She whispered, cheeks flushing.

"Mornin' Harry." The boy looked over at Neville's voice, giving his friend a grin.

"I'm surprised you're up. The others don't seem to want to come down 'til lunch." Neville gave an embarrassed shrug.

"I…uh, Gran has me on this…I have to eat at certain times." He mumbled, mortified he'd actually just revealed that his grandmother had him on a _diet_.

"Oh, well we're waiting for Hermione if you wanted to go down with us."

"Sure, thanks." The pudgy boy leaned against a chair, stomach still churning. He hated that he seemed to be the odd one out of his roommates, as all the others were very small. It didn't help that he was always getting teased by the Slytherins about his weight.

"Did someone mention me?" Hermione asked, smiling at the three as she descended the stairs.

She might have overreacted the night before to Ginny's apparent apathy for classes, so she was just going to let it go. Not everyone was as dedicated to their studies as she was and the muggleborn would just have to accept that if she didn't want to drive people away. She didn't want to go back to being the bookworm with no friends.

"Good morning, Hermione." Harry said, standing and slipping his large tome under his arm. From the bag slung over his friend's shoulder, it was clear she meant to spend the morning in the library, even though it was only the second day of school.

"Where's Ron?" She asked as they all started towards the exit.

"Still sleepin'. And snorin'." Neville replied, making Harry and Ginny both chuckle. They knew first hand just how loud Ronald could get. It was a miracle any of the boys got sleep at all with him in the room.

"Oh. I don't know why that surprises me." The group shared a laugh at Hermione's words as they made their way into the Great Hall. The four Gryffindors quickly took their places at the long table, their plates soon piled with food as they continued to chat.

Harry noticed that Ginny picked at most of her food, only taking a small bite every once in a while. He was worried about her lack of appetite, but knew she'd be embarrassed if he drew attention to it. Besides, it was only the beginning of school and she was still dealing with her inner demons, so he determined that the best he could do for her was to just be there in case she ever needed to talk.

As the only two people who'd ever survived Voldemort's attack, Harry felt connected to the small redhead in a way that he couldn't really describe. Now that he was actually paying attention to her and seeing her as 'Ginny' instead of 'Ron's little sister', he found that he had the urge to protect her and help her heal. Which was a little mortifying to the thirteen year old.

"So are you looking forward to Care of Magical Creatures?" Hermione asked, eyes glancing between the two boys as she buttered a slice of toast.

"I'm sure Hagrid will make it memorable, at the very least." Harry replied with a shrug, glancing up at the teacher's table to see the giant chatting happily with Professor Flitwick.

He spotted Remus Lupin speaking with McGonagall and had to fight the urge to go ask him about his parents. He'd give the man some time before that conversation was brought up.

"I'm nervous, to be honest." Neville said, remembering the huge dog that belonged to the groundskeeper.

"Well, it can't be too dangerous, I'm sure." Hermione said, even though she had a slight knot of anxiety in her stomach. Imagines of Norbert and Fluffy flashed in her mind, reminding her that Hagrid did not have the same sense of self-preservation as everyone else.

"Nothing can be worse than a three-headed dog, right?" Harry joked, also remembering the giant dog. The three exchanged a nervous look, all getting more worried the longer they thought of it.

"Right. So Ginny, what classes do you have today?" Hermione asked, trying to change the subject and get their minds off the possibilities of Hagrid's first lesson.

"Uh, I just have Charms this morning. I'm free after that." The girl replied, taking a bite of eggs.

"Really? Just the one course?" Harry asked, surprised. Sure, they didn't have class until after lunch, but they had two classes between meal times. So it was a surprise that Ginny only had the one.

"Yeah. I don't know who made the schedules this year, but I love them." She replied with a smile, which the black haired boy returned. She was amazed at how at ease she was beginning to feel around Harry, since it'd only been a few days since they'd actively started talking. She just felt like he wouldn't judge her as most others did, and she was so very thankful for that.

"Lucky. I've got Arithmancy after Care of Magical Creatures and I'm doubting my decision to take it. I've gone through the text and it looks so confusing." Harry said with a grimace, making the short girl hide a snicker behind her hand.

"Nonsense Harry, I'm sure Professor Vector will make it enjoyable, yet challenging." The bushy haired girl spoke up, earning a slight eye roll and grin from him.

"I've got Divination with Professor Trelawney. I've never even seen her in the last two years." Neville said, showing he was reluctant to attend the class.

"I haven't either. I didn't even know the class exited until we got our forms. Good luck, mate. I'm sure it'll be…interesting." Harry responded, clapping the boy on the back. The larger boy gave a pathetic sigh, figuring he should have chosen a different class. But he'd wanted an easy O to make his Gran happy, so he was stuck with it.

When done, Ginny headed to Charms while the third years separated, the two boys headed back to the common room and Hermione off to the library. The rest of the morning was spent in peace, Harry reading about goblins while Neville worked on his potions essay, which Harry was happy to help with when he could.

Ron finally emerged around 10:30, complaining about hunger. Harry shared the candy that was left over from the train, glad he had something to quiet his friend. He loved Ron like a brother, but the boy really was annoying when his stomach was grumbling.

/*/

Harry was glad to get out of the castle after lunch, feeling a little confined after an entire morning sitting in the common room. The quartet, which had absorbed Neville, made their way to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, glad they only had to make the long trek twice a week. When they spotted the familiar backs and green lined robes, they all shared a sigh.

"So much for a peaceful day." Ron muttered, glaring at Draco's back. Harry silently concurred, even though he was still optimistic that the young Malfoy would pull his head out of his arse.

Hagrid was waiting for the class at the door of his hut, a broad smile on his face. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start. He reminded Harry of Dudley on his birthday or Christmas, waiting for his presents to be given.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the students approached.

"Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me."

The students all shared an apprehensive look, not sure if Hagrid would actually lead them into the Forbidden Forest or not. But as they followed, the half-giant led them around the trees until they came to a clearing that housed some sort of paddock. An empty paddock.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" He called out, pointing to where they should stand.

"That's it—make sure yeh can see—now firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books—"

"How?" Draco questioned, voice cold as he gave the huge man a disdainful look. Harry glared at him, even if he was wondering the same, making the blonde boy stiffen a little.

"Eh?"

"How do we open the books?" Malfoy repeated.

He took out his copy of _The Monster Book of Monsters_, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. The other students took theirs out too; some, like Harry, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.

"Hasn'—hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" asked Hagrid, looking crestfallen. The students all shook their heads negatively.

"Yeh've got ter _stroke_ 'em." Hagrid explained, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Look—" He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite his large hands, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.

"Oh, how silly we've all been! We should have _stroked_ them! Why didn't we guess!" Malfoy sneered, causing the groundskeeper to frown.

"I—I thought they were funny." Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.

"They're fine, Hagrid. Malfoy's just upset the book messed up his hair." Harry said, glaring at the Slytherin, silently reminding him of the power he'd put behind his threat on the train. The blonde boy crossed his arms, glaring back at him.

"Righ' then. So—so yeh've got yer books an'—an'—now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on…" Hagrid strode away into the forest and out of sight.

"God, this place is going to the dogs. That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him—"

"Do you need a repeat, Malfoy?" Harry asked, striding closer to the annoying teen with a fierce glare.

The two boys seemed to be locked in a silent battle of wills, confusing the on looking students who didn't know about their train ride conversation. Crabbe and Goyle looked uncertainly between them, not sure if they should get involved or not. The tense moment was broken suddenly by Lavender Brown, who 'oohed' loudly.

Turning toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes.

The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather color around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of them were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.

"Gee up, there!" He roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as the man reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.

"Hippogriffs! Beau'iful, aren' they?" He roared happily, waving a hand at them.

Harry stared at the creatures, trying to see what Hagrid did. As he got over the shock of seeing such a strange animal, he could appreciate the hippogriffs' gleaming coats, which changed smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different color: stormy gray, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.

"So, if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer—" Hagrid beamed and motioned for them to step closer to the fence. But no one seemed to want to, all fearful of the large beasts. The trio shared a look before they stepped forward cautiously.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud. Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do." He said seriously, stressing the importance of what he was saying.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and Harry had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson. The arrogant Slytherin evidently wasn't taking their conversation seriously, which meant that he would need to be put in his place.

"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move. It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn't bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt." Hagrid continued.

The rest of the class passed smoothly, with Harry actually getting to ride the hippogriff named Buckbeak. It was an experience he wasn't sure he wanted to repeat quickly, but it had been amazing none the less. He still preferred his broom, but riding on the animal's back had made him feel very…powerful.

Things only got ugly when he heard Malfoy's snide remarks as he pet a disdainful Buckbeak. Harry made his way over, not knowing what the boy had planned, but not wanting him to ruin Hagrid's class.

"This is very easy. I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it…I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you? Are you, you great ugly brute?"

"Malfoy, NO!" Harry shouted, diving forward as the hippogriff reared back at the insult. He impacted hard with the blonde and fire shot through his side, making his eyes water and a groan to be ripped from his throat.

"What—get off me!" Malfoy pushed at him, trying to dislodge the other teen's weight.

Harry cringed as he pushed himself away, his side throbbing. He glanced down and was shocked to see his robes and shirt were torn, bare skin exposed and covered in three long scratches that were bleeding.

Looking up, he met the horrified eyes of his fellow students as Hagrid led a shameful Buckbeak back over to the others, recollared.

"Harry! Oh, you're bleeding. Are you alright?" Hermione rushed up to him, worry making her movements jerky as she peered at his injury. Harry pressed his hand against the wound, trying to stop the blood flow.

"I'm fine." Turning to Malfoy, Harry glared so darkly at him that the Slytherin felt a shiver of fear.

"You are so stupid! I thought purebloods were supposed to be better, smarter than everyone else. And yet, here you are, being a complete arse! You could have gotten killed, you idiot." He wasn't sure when he'd started yelling, but by the end of it Malfoy was paper white with shock.

"C'mon, Harry, need ter get yeh ter the 'ospital wing." Hagrid said, trying to remain calm as one of his students bled out onto the grass.

The Gryffindor shot another nasty look at Draco before heading out of the paddock and towards the castle, his friends and housemates closing ranks around him to block him from the Slytherins.

"'m so sorry, Harry." Hagrid mumbled, ashamed he'd gotten his friend hurt in the first lesson.

"It's alright, Hagrid. Malfoy was asking for it." Harry replied, giving the large man a smile to let him know he wasn't angry. They rest of the students were left at the entrance, Harry being escorted up the grand staircase by Hagrid and his friends. They made it up to the Hospital Wing without incident.

"Second day of school and you've already ended up here." Madame Pomfrey shook her head in disbelief as she shuffled around the bed she'd pointed him to sit on.

"Ah, you know me, I can't stay away." He replied with a smile, making the nurse have to fight back a chuckle.

"Indeed." She replied and set to healing him, watching as the blood vanished and his skin knit back together.

"There, you're all fixed up. Try to stay out of harm for a few weeks." Harry nodded as he got off the bed and made his way towards the doors, where the others waited. Hagrid was twisting his huge hands nervously, still guilt-ridden for the episode.

"Hagrid, really, it's alright. I'm not going to make a fuss about it. Accidents happen." Harry reassured, patting him on the arm as the group left the hospital wing.

"I jus'…"

"I'm really alright, Hagrid. You're class was awesome before Malfoy's idiocy."

"Yeah, it was a great start of the year." Ron supplied, trying to make the huge man feel better. Hermione gave him a small smile, proud that he was trying.

"I…I best get them put away." Hagrid mumbled before he made his way down the stairs, relieved that Harry was okay. He didn't even want to think about what would have happened if it'd been Malfoy who'd gotten injured.

"You should go get changed, Harry. Arithmancy starts in a little while and you don't want to be late for the first day." Hermione said, heading towards the common room to grab her book. She hadn't been willing to put it in her bag with the monster book, afraid the Spellotape might break and it's eat the other, helpless text.

"Yeah, mate, you look banged up." Ron said, pointing to his ripped robes. Harry was glad he'd gotten more clothes that summer, as he'd hate to be down to only a few uniforms the way he would have been last year.

/*/

Ginny looked up from her notes when Harry threw himself into the chair next to hers, groaning and rubbing at his forehead. Hermione waved at her as she sat in the third chair, pulling out her own notebook.

"What's wrong?" The red head asked, glancing between the two third years. Ron was over by the window, having coerced Shamus into a game of chess, so she knew it at least didn't have anything to do with her brother.

"Arithmancy." Harry moaned, as if the one word answered the question entirely. Ginny turned confused eyes to the other girl, who was fighting back a small amused smirk as she paged through her notes.

"It seems the class was harder than Harry originally thought. I think it's going to be a brilliant course." Hermione supplied, snickering as Harry groaned louder at her answer.

"My head feels like it's going to explode!" Ginny bit her lip at his pouting, thinking he was adorable.

"Well, can you ask to be removed from the class, since it's only the second day?" She questioned, making Harry's head pop up and a hopeful look appear on his face.

His eyes, so clear and beautiful, zeroed in on the brunette, begging her to say it was possible. She was still unnerved by the direct gaze, but Hermione was determined not to let him weasel out of the class.

"Do you really want to tell McGonagall you want out of Arithmancy after only one class? What would she think of that?" At her quirked brow, Harry slumped back in his chair.

Hermione knew how to guilt trip with the best of them, that was for sure. There was no way he could ask McGonagall to change his schedule just because he found the subject more challenging than he'd imagined. She'd think he was a dunderhead!

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it." Ginny said, giving him an encouraging smile that he returned.

"Let's hope so." He sighed again before pulling out his Arithmancy book, wanting to go back over the chapter before he tried to do the homework problems. He only read for a half hour before he let Ron pull him into a chess game, not wanting to spend his entire Friday night doing homework.

He was even able to persuade Ginny to come join them, which soon evolved into a game of exploding snap as Ron just kept kicking his butt at chess. Hermione eventually wandered over, having finished her Arithmancy homework in record time.

The common room quickly filled with laughter as the twins and their friend Lee Jordan joined in, until almost all of the Gryffindor third and fourth years were caught up in the game.

It was a great way to start out the school year and Harry hoped the rest of the year passed in much the same way.

**AN: So if y'all would like me to continue, please review. I'm having trouble with the next chapter and won't bother if you guys don't want to read more. So let me know!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't Harry Potter or anything familiar. If you see a direct quote, obviously it's borrowed from the book.**

Chapter Eight: A Growing Friendship

The first month of school had flown by as the students got back in the swing of things. Defense Against the Dark Arts had quickly become everyone's, except maybe the Slytherins, favorite class as Lupin kept them entertained and entranced. After boggarts, they studied Red Caps and then kappas, all of which Harry found interesting.

Arithmancy didn't get any better after the first class and he was having to get Hermione to help him a lot, but he was proud he was sticking it out instead of just giving in like he'd initially wanted. Ancient Runes was a lot more interesting then he'd thought it would be and he was glad he seemed to be able to pick it up a lot easier than Arithmancy.

Poor Hagrid had been too frightened to do anything else exciting, meaning they'd spent every class since learning how to care for flubberworms. Flubberworms! Since he'd been the injured party, no action had been taken against Hagrid or Buckbeak, no matter how much Malfoy complained, but Hagrid was too scared to try anything more dangerous. He'd lost his confidence and Harry wasn't sure how they were going to get it back, but he knew they had to, because he really didn't want to spend the whole year caring for flubberworms.

Potions was just awful, as Snape seemed to be in a vindictive mood and used every possible opportunity to take house points from the Gryffindors and to torment them, especially Harry. He felt terrible for being the reason his house was last in house points already, but no one blamed him, all having become aware of the Slytherin Head's unfair treatment. Harry just wished the greasy git would get the wand out of his arse sooner rather than later.

Ragniok had written him a detailed account of his holdings, shocking the young wizard at just how much he was actually worth. But the alarming thing the goblin had discovered was that there were numerous merchants that were using his name as a brand to sell their products.

The goblin explained that without his permission, they were essentially stealing from him and Ragniok had assured him that the illegal activity had quickly been stopped and he could press charges if he wished.

For his notebooks, his account manager had revealed it would take a couple of months to set up the company, so they wouldn't be able to begin producing them until spring at the earliest.

Apparently, there was a lot of red tape that Ragniok had to work through since he was a minor, along with the fact that wizards didn't like working with goblins. But Harry was just glad that Ragniok was doing all the work, as he wouldn't have the first clue as to what to do to set up a notebook making company or shop.

The biggest change came in the form of the youngest and only female Weasley. At first, she'd been hesitant to be around the trio, as Ron kept making rude comments that would send her away with a hurt expression.

After the third time, Harry put his foot down and told Ron point blank that Ginny was welcome to be included, as she was his friend too. Ron had been none too pleased about it, but Harry hadn't been willing to budge, so he'd just had to get over his annoyance at his younger sister. At least she was eating more now and Malfoy couldn't keep calling her a skeleton.

Overall, Harry thought it was a great start to the school year. He was getting stronger every passing day and could run for longer and farther, making the teen extremely pleased with himself. As Quidditch season was approaching, he just knew the extra exercise would pay off and make him faster, so maybe they'd actually win the Quidditch Cup this year.

Harry couldn't wait to start practicing again, as flying was his favorite pastime. He knew Oliver Wood was anxious to get started, but he'd allowed them September to get back into the routine of school. The burley seventh year had been seen scouring different Quidditch playbooks, clearly wanting to have as many plays memorized as possible before the first practice.

Wanting to get some fresh air, Harry decided to do his morning workout outside, feeling a little stifled just using his trunk. His progression was stopped, however, when he came upon Ginny once more in the Common Room, deep smudges under her tired eyes.

"Another nightmare?" He murmured, not wanting to startle her too much. Ginny, who'd been sitting in the window seat and staring out, turned her head and gave a wan smile.

"Yeah." Harry walked over and sat down next to her, peering out the window at the misty grounds.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" The girl just shook her head, hating that she hadn't been able to conquer the nightmares yet.

She'd been doing so well over the last month, gaining back some of her lost weight and coming out of her shell more and more. But the terrors of the night persisted, as if unwilling to let her completely free of the hell that was her first year.

"I'm sure it'll get easier…in time. Wanna go run, take you mind off things?" Harry inquired, making the girl's brows furrow in confusion.

"Run?"

"Uh, yeah. I've started exercising, you know, to get in shape and stuff. I was gonna run around the grounds to get some fresh air before it gets too cold out." He explained, cheeks reddening a little. He wasn't sure why he was embarrassed to admit he'd been working out, but he was.

"Oh. Are we, uh, _allowed_ to be outside?" She asked, eyes darting back out the window as if she could see the dementors circling the gates, just waiting for an unsuspecting victim to come within reach. She didn't want to have another run in with them if at all possible.

"I don't see why not; it's not like we're leaving the grounds. So are you coming?" He questioned, wanting to get headed out before people started waking up. Ginny bit her lip before giving a small nod, needing to escape her demons.

"Let me just go change." Harry watched as the small girl darted off the window seat and up the staircase.

He hoped running would help her as it did him, giving him time to work out his problems without having to deal with the pressures of talking them out with others. And he was glad that the more he got to know her, the better a friend she became and the happier his mother was.

Ginny quickly reemerged, dressed in some sweatpants and a jumper with trainers. The two made their way through the portrait hole and down the stairs until they reached the great doors, which opened silently.

"So, uh, where are we going?" Ginny asked, glancing around the vast grounds.

"I figured to Hagrid's and back would be a good start. If you wanna keep doing this, then we'll start branching out, running farther as you build up your endurance." Harry replied as he sat down and started stretching. Ginny mimicked his movements, not used to exercising more than chasing her brothers around or playing Quidditch.

"How long have you been doing this?"

"Since the year started. I figured that if I start working out now, then I won't have to try and start it when I'm older. After the last two years, I thought being fit would work in my favor, just in case."

Ginny bit her lip as her mind went back a year, wondering if she'd been able to run faster, farther, if she'd have been able to outrun Tom Riddle. Probably not, but the possibility filled her with a determination to succeed. Anything she could do to completely conquer her inner demon, she was more than willing to do.

The determination quickly gave way to gasping and side pangs as she tried to keep pace with Harry, who had slowed down his normal run to try and make it easier on her. He remembered that first week when he thought his limbs would just fall off, so the boy knew how difficult it was for her. They didn't quite make it to Hagrid's hut before she had to stop, but Harry thought it was a good starting point.

"S-Sorry." Ginny gasped, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breathe. Harry just shrugged, unbothered.

"It's alright, Gin. You gotta start somewhere. So tomorrow we'll try to make it to the hut; each day we'll push a little farther. The thing you don't want to do is just give up, even when you think you can't do it." The witch glanced up at him, her heart slowly coming to a normal cadence. Harry was on the ground, doing crunches. He was absolutely bonkers.

"I-If you s-say so." He paused to give her a grin before continuing.

Sighing, Ginny eased herself down on the ground next to him and tried to repeat his movements. After twenty, her stomach and sides were complaining loudly of the abuse.

"Don't push too hard, Gin. We don't want you to pull anything."

Feeling like such a wimp, Ginny lay back on the grass and stared up at the morning sky. Harry went about his routine, moving into push-ups before he leaned back next to her, brow sweaty as he waited for his breathing to even.

"Feel better?" She turned to look at him, trying to fight back the part of her that wanted to drool with how cute he looked, even while covered in sweat.

"Yeah, actually." He grinned at her response.

"We'd better get back if we wanna get to the showers before breakfast." He stood and helped her up. They separated hands quickly when they felt that strange heat, both blushing before they started jogging back towards the castle.

/*/

Thus Harry's morning routine was changed to include Ginny. Of course, to keep up with his studies and the weight lifting, he'd use his dad's watch every couple of days to give him the extra time. It was slow going at first, but Ginny was building up her endurance and they went a little longer every day, much to the redhead's delight.

On the second week of their new routine, Ginny was surprised to spot a large black dog watching them from the forest. Harry had tried to pull her away, the dog reminding him of the one he'd seen on Privet Drive; but the small redhead had been insistent, pulling away so she could coax the large animal from the trees.

He'd had horrifying visuals of the beast lunging for Ginny, snarling; but the dog seemed to act like any other, sniffing her offered fingers before giving them a lick. Ginny had been charmed, seemingly to adopt the animal as her own and forcing Harry to pet it as well. Since the dog didn't appear to want to rip their throats out, Harry relaxed and scratched behind its ears, earning a tail thump of approval.

"I think he likes you, Harry! Oh, I wish we could take him inside. It's unfair that they don't allow you to have dogs as pets." Ginny muttered, giggling when the animal rolled over to expose its stomach, which she obediently scratched.

"Uh, yeah, I guess." Harry replied, not really that bothered by it. If other dogs got to this one's size, then he could understand why they weren't allowed in the castle, as he was absolutely huge.

"Ah, I bet you're hungry, aren't you Snuffles? Poor baby."

"Snuffles? Really?" The raven haired boy tried to fight off the chuckle, but the absurdity of the name was just too amusing. Ginny sent him a light glare, having to fight back her own laugh.

"That's right, isn't it Snuffles. You're such a big boy, I bet you're starving. We should bring him some food." Harry glanced between the happy pooch and the large doe eyes of his friend and groaned, knowing he probably wasn't going to get out of agreeing.

"Don't you think it'll look suspicious if we're always taking scraps from the Great Hall?" She rolled her eyes and pulled her wand out of her holster, casting the _Scourgify _spell to clean Snuffles up a bit. It didn't work as well as a real shower, but it did fine in a pinch.

Her mother had insisted all the Weasleys know the spell, even when they weren't supposed to do magic outside of school so they'd never look dirty. It was just one of the small ways she tried to ease her children's feelings about being poor.

"Don't be daft, Harry; we'll use the kitchens, of course." His eyes met hers in surprise.

"You know where the kitchens are?"

"Yep." Ginny replied, popping the 'p' at the end. She glanced down at her watch and gave a sad sound.

"But it'll have to wait until lunch or dinner. Sorry Snuffles. Meet us back here later, alright, boy." She gave him another good scratch before standing, making the dog give a little whine of protest.

"You really think he'll know to come back?" He asked skeptically, watching the large animal slowly get back to its feet.

"Of course he will." She replied, as if he was stupid to even question it.

Turning, Ginny started jogging back towards the castle, Harry only a second behind her as 'Snuffles' made his way back into the forest. He'd never even imagined he'd get to be so close to his godson so early, but he was grateful. Now all he had to do was bid his time for Wormtail to make a mistake and he'd have his vengeance.

/*/

Quidditch training started at the beginning of October, Oliver pushing them for three evening practices a week. But no matter how terrible the weather got, Harry's spirits remained high as the goal of finally clutching the Quidditch Cup remained firmly fixated in his mind.

He was determined to finally be the best, no matter what injuries or sabotage the team would go through during the year. This was the Gryffindor year and nothing would stop their victory. Nothing and no one.

With the start of Quidditch practices also came the announcement of the first Hogsmeade weekend, which sent everyone in third year and above into excited chatter. All the happy noise made Harry's good mood begin to ebb away, feeling left out and mad his uncle had been such an arse.

Sighing, the raven haired teen threw himself into the chair next to Ginny and across from Ron and Hermione. He pulled his Astronomy book and notebook out, figuring he could do his star chart instead of focusing on the fact that he was the only third year not able to leave the school grounds.

Hermione looked up from her Arithmancy, taking note of the slouched shoulders and furrowed brow on her friend. She gently closed her book, her finger holding her place as she looked at him.

"Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time. They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already." She said, bringing the others' focus to them.

"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade. Not with Dumbledore so close and all those dementors. Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry. The next one might not be for ages—"

"_Ron! _Harry's supposed to stay _in school_—"

"He can't be the only third year left behind. Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry—"

"I think Ron's right. I mean, it's not fair that your relatives have kept you from going. And the worst she can say is no. But you'll never know unless you ask." Ginny said, bringing the black haired boy's attention to her.

"Ginny-"

"No Hermione, I think he should ask. And if she says no, you'll always have me to hang out with. I mean, if you want to, that is." The redhead blushed a little before lowering her eyes back to her notebook.

"I think I will. I'll regret it if I don't at least ask." Harry said, ignoring the look Hermione gave him and started in on his Astronomy, wanting to get it done. Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth.

"Does he have to eat that in front of us?" Ron asked in disgust, scowling at the orange devil. Harry and Ginny both looked up and shared an amused look, knowing how much Ron hated spiders.

"Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" Hermione cooed. The cat slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron. It was as if he knew the human hated the arachnid and was getting a kick out of torturing him.

"Just keep him over there, that's all. I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag." Ron said irritably, turning back to his own star chart.

The four sat in silence for a few minutes before Ron let out a loud yell, Crookshanks having suddenly pounced towards the bag and began tearing ferociously.

"OY! GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!" Ron tried to pull the bag away from the deranged feline, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing.

"Ron, don't hurt him!" Hermione squealed; the whole common room was now watching, several finding the entire situation hilarious. Meaning Fred and George were laughing loudly.

Ron whirled the bag around, the cat still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top. The boy had barely a second to get his footing before the cat took off after the terrified rat.

"CATCH THAT CAT!" Ron yelled as he tried to follow but ended up tripping over the table.

George made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed; Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. The cat skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bendy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw.

Ron and Hermione hurried over, both concerned for their pets. Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away, knowing she needed to get the cat away before Ron lashed out at the poor dear.

Ron ignored her and threw himself onto his stomach and started trying to grab Scabbers. It took several minutes and a bitten finger before he was able to pull the rat out by its tail. He turned to face Hermione with a thunderous expression.

"Look at him! He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!" He demanded as he dangled the rat in front of her to show her how ill Scabbers looked.

"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong! All cats chase rats, Ron!" She retorted, her voice shaking a little.

"No, there's something funny about that animal! It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag and then he pounced!" Ron exclaimed as he tried to coax the terrified rat back into his pocket.

"Oh, what rubbish. Crookshanks could _smell_ him, Ronald, how else d'you think—"

"That cat's got it in for Scabbers! And Scabbers was here first, _and_ he's ill!" Ron said furiously before marching through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

"Well that was just ridiculous." Hermione huffed as she grabbed her bag, struggling to keep a hold of her pet as she slid the strap over her shoulder.

"I'm sure he'll get over it, Hermione." Harry said, though he was trying to hide his amusement, knowing his friend would not take kindly to being laughed at.

"I'm going to bed." She said with a huff and moved to the girls' staircase, too irritated with Ron to even think about staying down with other people at that moment.

"That was…"

"Hilarious?" Ginny quirked a brow before the two burst into laughter, the fight between the other two comical.

"So how long d'you think Ron'll hold a grudge?" Harry asked once they'd gotten their chuckles under control. Ginny shifted in her chair to get more comfortable and flicked her hair off her shoulder before shrugging.

"I dunno. As long as he thinks Crookshanks is out to get Scabbers, I guess. Best not to get in the middle of it."

"Yeah, I've learned that by now." The two shared a smile.

"So what're you working on?" He asked as he opened his notebook again and uncapped his pen.

"Just finishing up an essay for history. It's really boring, but that book you gave me on Goblin customs has really helped me understand the battles better. It's really horrible how the goblins have been treated over the centuries, so I can understand why they keep revolting."

"Yeah, no one likes to be treated so poorly for long. If we don't change our own behavior soon, I wouldn't be surprised if there was another uprising." Harry said, getting a hum of agreement from the redhead.

"Let's hope we can get our heads out of our arses then." Harry chuckled at her words, making Ginny smile before they both settled into their work.

/*/

The quest to go to Hogsmeade was a wasted effort, however, as Professor McGonagall was adamant in him not being allowed to go without a signed permission slip. And by the force she refused him, the young teenage had to wonder if even if he'd actually gotten the slip signed if he'd actually be able to leave the grounds.

Ron and Hermione seemed to take two opposing sides on this issue, the redhead calling their head of house different insulting names while the brunette took the "all-for-the-best" attitude. Their polar opposite opinions seemed to feed their already tense relationship, building off the attack on Scabbers, making the two dissolve into even more bickers than normal.

Ginny felt sorry for Harry, especially since everyone in his year wouldn't stop talking about how excited they were. But she felt more irritated with herself than anything, because there was a part of her that was happy Harry wouldn't be leaving the grounds, so she wouldn't be alone.

This made her feel like a jerk because she knew how much he wanted to go, so she just tried to push it away and focus on keeping Harry in as high of spirits as possible. This equated to the two of them going for a run one morning, the boy unable to stop from laughing when his friend would purposefully trip or crack a joke. But he seemed pensive no matter how much she tried to lighten the mood.

"Harry, what's the matter? I know you want to go to Hogsmeade, but—"

"No, it's…I found out something that's been bothering me, is all." He interrupted with a wave of the hand as they started doing lunges, the cold fall air burning their throats.

"You know you can tell me anything, right? After…everything, I'm here if you ever need to talk." She gave a small bashful smile, which he returned before sighing and sitting down on the damp grass. Ginny's brow furrowed before she followed suit, figuring he really did want to talk.

"I…I found out that Professor Lupin was friends with my dad." Harry mumbled, drawing his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on them.

"What? Really? How?" Her eyes widened in shock, not having expected that at all.

Harry peered at her, seeming to be debating with himself on whether to tell her the entire story or not. He'd been reluctant to reveal his parents' portraits to anyone, as he'd wanted to keep them to himself for as long as possible. He knew that he'd eventually need to tell the others and show them his trunk, as it really could be of use to more than just him, but…he'd lived his whole life without his parents and he didn't want to give them up now that he'd gotten a little piece of them.

Which Harry knew was bonkers, as they were imprints of his parents and not the real thing, but it was as close as he was going to get. They were more precious to him than all the gold and jewels in the world and he was reluctant to share them with others, even when they were his best friends.

But the young wizard knew he couldn't keep them a secret forever; he had to come clean with the others before their feelings got hurt that he'd kept them a secret for so long. And his parents were anxious to meet his friends; his mother was especially ready to meet Ginny, as she was worried the young girl wasn't handling her situation as best as she could be.

"I've kept something a secret since the summer." He said quietly, eyes dropping from hers as his fingers picked at his sweatpants, not wanting to see her face in case she got angry.

"Oh?" Curiosity had always been one of her biggest weaknesses, and it was piqued now.

"Yeah. I didn't keep it a secret to hurt anyone, I swear. I just wanted to keep them to myself for a while."

"Harry, what're you talking about?" She asked, hoping he didn't start rambling as it really was too early to try and calm the anxious teen down. Harry took a deep breath and tried to calm down, knowing he was overreacting when Ginny didn't even know what he was talking about.

"When I got to Diagon Alley, I visited the Goblins, like I told you guys. But…I found something in my family holdings vault that I didn't show you." Ginny titled her head in wonder, trying to imagine what he could have found that had him so guarded.

"What'd you find?" The boy was silent for so long Ginny thought he was going to refuse to reveal his secret.

"I found portraits…of my parents." The witch sucked in a shocked breath, her eyes wide. Harry looked up, meeting her eyes before looking past her shoulder to Hagrid's hut.

"Y-your parents? Were…were the portraits magical?" She whispered, unable to speak any louder in her bewilderment. Of all the things she'd thought Harry was hiding, this was not among them.

"Yes."

"Oh wow. I…that's amazing!" Ginny exclaimed.

"You're…you're not mad I kept them a secret?" Harry asked gingerly.

"Why would I be mad? They're your parents, Harry! Of course you had every right to keep them to yourself. I mean, I would too if it was me." She shrugged his trepidation off, giving him a bright smile.

"I just thought…I didn't think anyone would be so understanding. I mean, I kept them a secret since this summer—"

"You're worried about Ron and Hermione, I get it. But if they're as good of friends as they claim to be, they'll just be happy you finally have a connection to your family. I mean, you're actually able to talk to them now. It's remarkable." She smiled happily and leaned forward to pat his arm reassuringly, relieved the material of his hoodie kept their skin from touching.

Ever since they're talk in the Leaky Cauldron, anytime they were skin-to-skin, like when he helped her up from the ground by the hand, there was a strange warmth that spread from her fingertips down to her palm until her entire hand was warm. It was confusing, but neither brought the bizarre occurrence up, both too embarrassed by the entire situation to speak about it aloud.

"What if they don't forgive me? We don't tend to keep secrets from each other." Harry mumbled, brow crinkled in worry.

"They may be hurt that you didn't trust them with the secret at first, but when you explain it, they'll get over it. I mean, none of us can really relate to you with regards to family, so they can't hold it against you for wanting to keep the portraits to yourself. But I would suggest telling them sooner rather than later, as Ron does have a foul temper that seriously needs to be worked on."

The two shared a small smile of amusement at that, knowing the older Weasley's anger could be brought out by just about anything. Boy really needed to go to therapy or something., as it was going to get him in serious trouble one of these days.

"So that's how you found out about Professor Lupin?" Ginny asked, crossing her legs beneath her and resting her elbows on her knees.

"Yeah, he was close friends with my dad. He was part of the group my dad was in while at school."

"Oh, that's got to be neat; to actually have someone real that was connected to your parents to talk to. What's he said about it?"

"I haven't actually told him I know." Harry muttered, picking at the grass.

"Harry! Why not?"

"I dunno. I just…why hasn't he told me himself?"

"Maybe he's waiting for the right time. Or maybe he's afraid of opening old wounds. I mean, he was friends with your parents, so even being around must be hard." Harry glanced up and met her eyes, seeing the softness in them.

"Maybe you're right. I should just—" Harry was abruptly cut off when he felt the air around him drop a good 20 degrees and a distant scream begin to fill his head.

"H-Harry?" Ginny whispered, eyes wide in fright as she stared off in the distance, where a large black cloud seemed to be moving towards them at an alarming speed.

"We have to g-get out of h-here!" Harry surged to his feet and grabbed her hand, pulling her up roughly before they started running. Ginny's legs gave out several times as her head was filled with Tom Riddle's laugh and the cold seemed to penetrate her very soul; Harry was struggling just as much, but kept trying to keep them moving forward.

But the black cloaked figures were too fast and soon had them surrounded, the small figures falling to their knees as their inner demons resurfaced. Ginny let out a cry of anguish as she was assaulted with the young Voldemort, while Harry had to contend with the older one and the sounds of his mother dying.

The dementors took turns sucking at the youngsters, paying no head when the air was filled with a ferocious barking and snarling, not bothered by the dog in the slightest. But the loud noise had the half-giant grounds keeper popping out of his hut to investigate, which quickly turned into a bellow of alarm as he surged towards the evil creatures, his own pooch joining the barking.

The sight of the large man brandishing his pink umbrella was the last thing either Gryffindor saw before darkness took them.

/*/

Harry slowly came to, his head foggy and seemingly unwilling to let the darkness recede quickly. He shuddered as his mind filled with the horrific sound of his mother's death, the cold from the dementors still heavy in his veins and making it hard to focus enough to open his eyes.

When he finally managed to pry his lids up, he was met with the stark brightness of the hospital wing, its windows gleaming in the early morning light and making the gloomy room a little warmer.

When he pushed up on his elbows, the whispering that he'd just became aware of stopped and several figures moved into his line of sight.

"Eat this, Mr. Potter." Madame Pomfrey said, shoving a large slab of chocolate into his hand as he sat up, eyes scanning the room until the landed on the bed next to his, which housed a hunched Ginny.

"What happened?" He asked, his throat dry and making his voice raspy. The redhead looked up from her hands, a small streak of chocolate on her lips revealing she'd already been dealt with by the nurse.

"We'd like to know that ourselves." Albus Dumbledore said, his eyes having lost their twinkle as he stood at the end of Harry's bed, McGonagall standing to his side.

"Uh…we were talking and then suddenly dementors started chasing us. That's all I remember." Harry said, his face flushing in embarrassment at having passed out yet again from the creatures' effects on him.

"What were you doing out so early?" Their head of house demanded.

"We were exercising, Professor." Ginny said, her voice weak but she looked up, a little of her defiant nature coming out.

"Exercising?" The old woman asked in disbelief.

"Yes ma'am. We've been going out every morning and running and doing other exercises to build up our muscles. I'm hoping it will help in Quidditch." Harry added the last part to hopefully lessen the severe look that was on the Transfiguration teacher's face, but it did no good.

"Were you anywhere near the forest?" Dumbledore asked, peering over his spectacles at both of them, to which they shook their heads.

"No, sir. We never go past Hagrid's hut." Ginny answered.

"Neither of you are allowed outside the castle unless you're with a group or for class, do you understand me?"

"But—"

"No buts, Ms. Weasley. No student is allowed out before classes or after dark any longer; not with the dementors coming onto the grounds. Now you'd better get off to the dormitory to get ready for class." McGonagall said firmly, not willing to allow either of them to try and persuade her otherwise. Not that it would have worked anyhow.

The adults watched as the children slowly got off the beds and made their way out of the room, their shoulders slumped in dejection.

"What are we going to do, Albus? The dementors attacked students! On the grounds!" McGonagall said furiously as Pomfrey sat about straightening up the hospital wing, her own temper at the incident simmering under the surface.

"Yes, I'm aware, Minerva. I will be having words with the Aurors, as they shouldn't have allowed the creatures to get so far before stepping in. Fudge has refused my request to remove them, so I'll have to put more precautions in place. Nothing like this can be allowed to happen again."

"We're just lucky they didn't suck their souls from them! The poor dears." Madame Pomfrey said in anger as she moved past them to go back to her office.

"I must see to the Aurors." Dumbledore said before he swept from the room, angry his students had been victims of the demons once more. If they didn't find Black soon he was going to have to use his considerable influence to have Fudge's decision revoked. He was not going to let his students be in danger like this if he could help it.

/*/

"How could you put my sister in that type of danger? Are you bonkers?" Harry and Ginny looked up with wide eyes as they entered the common room, Ron's loud voice ringing through the room and drawing everyone's attention.

"I didn't—"

"What were you doing outside with my sister?" The redhead demanded angrily, marching forward to pull the girl away from Harry, not being very gentle at all. He'd been informed upon waking that Harry and Ginny had both been attacked by dementors that morning and had been fuming ever since.

"What on earth is the matter with you? Let her go." Hermione said, tugging on Ginny's other arm to try and break the boy's grip, which only tightened in his anger.

"Well, Potter? Why were you outside this morning with my _little_ sister?" He glared at the raven haired boy, his quick temper and over protectiveness combining to make him deaf and blind to anything but the fact that his baby sister had been out with Harry for some unknown reason. He didn't even realize that his behavior was the total opposite of how he'd been treating said sister recently, as he'd been completely ignoring her whenever he could.

"Let go of me." Ginny ripped her arm away from him, her own temper flaring up at the treatment. But Ron didn't even seem to notice her, as his entire focus was on Harry, who had a confused look on his face.

"We were exercising, like we do every morning." Harry said after a moment, sending Ginny and Hermione a baffled look, not knowing what had caused Ron's mood. Sure, he got that they'd been attacked by dementors, since he was there and all, but it wasn't his fault that happened.

"You were _exercising_?" Ron scoffed, clearly not believing him.

"Yes, Ron, exercising. If you got out of bed before breakfast was almost over every day you'd know that." Ginny said, arms crossing over her chest as she glared at her brother, completely fed up with his swinging moods. One minute he didn't want her anywhere near him or 'his' friends, and the next he was mad she wasn't in his sights at all times.

"What's going on?" Percy asked as he pushed into the small group, scanning the red cheeks of his siblings and knowing he needed to intervene before they had a full on row. Ron had one of the worst tempers of all the Weasleys, but Ginny was more deadly when angered. Put them together and it just wasn't a good combination for anyone in the near vicinity.

"Ginny was attacked by dementors this morning." Ron ground out, his dark gaze never leaving his friend's.

"Are you alright?" Percy asked, turning to examine his sister to make sure she was okay.

"Yes, I'm fine. But what Ron here seems to be forgetting is that Harry was also attacked."

"Okay, why don't we all just calm down. You're making a scene." The older Weasley said, glancing around the tower to see they had everyone's attention.

"C'mon Ron, why're you mad at Harry?" Fred asked as he came over and slung an arm around his shoulders.

"Yeah, it's not like he summoned the dementors." George added, his arm going around his sister. The maneuvering wasn't lost on any of the Weasleys, as it was clear they were ready to pull the two youngsters apart if it came to it.

"They shouldn't have been outside that early anyways!" Ron said, not understanding why they weren't as angry as he was.

"Ron, really. You're overreacting to them _exercising_ of all things. It's ridiculous." Hermione rolled her eyes before leaving the group, grabbing her messenger bag and headed towards the portrait hole, wanting to grab some breakfast.

"Really, Ron, I didn't mean for either of us to get attacked." Harry said, his hands raised to plead his innocence.

"Why don't the two of you go get ready? You don't want to miss breakfast." Percy said with a nod towards the staircases. Harry and Ginny both looked at Ron for a moment before nodding and heading off, both still shocked at Ron's anger.

"Well I can certainly understand why you're worried about telling him." Ginny whispered with a shake of her head as they neared the stairs.

"Yeah." They shared a look before going their separate ways, both knowing that when Ron was let in on the secret of the portraits, he'd most likely react in the same way, out of anger and hurt. It certainly wasn't something either of them were looking forward to.

"Ron, you should be more concerned with how Ginny and Harry are doing since the attack. Why are you angry about them spending time together? I highly doubt either of them is interesting in anything but being friends. Ginny's only 12 for heaven's sake." Percy said with a shake of his head.

"She shouldn't be hanging out with him at all!"

"Oh, I think little Ronnikkins is jealous." Fred said in amusement.

"What? I am not!"

"I get it, Ron Ron. Harry's been you're best friend for two years and now Ginny's taking some of his attention away from you. It makes perfect sense." George said, adopting a serious tone, which made it funnier as he kept wiggling his eyebrows.

"You're being daft. I'm not jealous of Ginny!"

"It actually makes perfect sense. You just need to learn how to share Harry. And you better do it quickly if you don't want to lose him because of your temper." Percy added with a nod before he turned and left the common room, wanting to spend some time with Penelope before breakfast ended.

"I'm not jealous!" Ron almost shouted, his face bright red.

"Of course not, Ron Ron." The twins laughed before leaving his side, as they also wanted to grab some food before they had to suffer through double potions. Their trickster minds didn't work as well on empty stomachs and they were always looking for new ways to get at Snape, so they didn't want to miss a chance due to hunger.

Ron glanced around the room, seeing he had a captive audience, which only made him flush more. Glaring at some of them, he grabbed his bag and marched out of the tower, completely embarrassed by the entire episode. He was not jealous of his sister. He wasn't!

/*/

Harry stood in silence next to Hermione as Professor Sprout explained the proper care for the flowers they were going to be planting, still confused and hurt by Ron's accusation that he'd put Ginny in danger. He knew, rationally, that his friend had overreacted for some reason, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt his feelings or make him second guess himself.

Could he have avoided the whole thing by simply not going outside to exercise? Should he have just ignored Ginny having nightmares and not offered to allow her to come with him? Could he have saved them both? How could he protect them against dementors?

As the questions whirled around in his mind, Harry couldn't find it within himself to be sorry about the time he'd been spending with the youngest Weasley. So yes, their usual morning routine had been interrupted today, but it'd also helped them both in different ways. He was getting another friend out of it, and Ginny seemed to move beyond last year with each day that passed.

So even though Ron blamed him for the attack, Harry wasn't sorry. If he could find a way to prevent the dementors from attacking him then that would be amazing, but that didn't mean he was to blame for them chasing them when they weren't even supposed to be on the grounds. And he would allow the creatures to attack him again if it meant Ginny might be able to finally heal from her first year.

The boy's thoughts were interrupted when his notebook began giving off a dull warmth against his elbow, drawing his attention. Flipping it open, he saw a message from Ginny.

_Harry, are you there? _

Glancing up, he made sure the professor wasn't looking his way before he uncapped his pen to write a reply.

_Yeah, I'm here. What's wrong?_

_Oh, nothing, I've just been thinking about how we're not allowed outside anymore. How're we going to continue our workouts? And how're we going to keep Snuffles fed?_

_I'm sure the dog will be able to keep itself alive. It's lasted this long._

_Harry! We can't leave the poor thing out there without food. It'll starve and freeze to death. Winter is coming._

Shaking his head at her, Harry tried to come up with a way to help the giant canine because he knew there was no persuading the small girl. She may still be recovering from last year, but she'd turned into a spitfire lately, her old personality coming out more and more, and he knew she'd not let him deny her the chance to help the dog.

_We'll figure something out, I'm sure. But I already have a solution for how we'll continue our workouts._

_Really? How?_

_I'll have to show you later, as it's a secret. Meet me in the common room once everyone's asleep._

_What in the heavens are you hiding, Harry? Is this another thing you've kept from everyone?_

Harry felt his gut clench with guilt as he glanced over at Hermione and Ron, knowing that he really did need to come clean soon. He didn't know how he'd ended up keeping so many secrets from his friends, but he hadn't been ready to share everything until now. And knowing how Ron was about money, the young wizard just knew revealing the trunk was most likely going to cause problems between the two of them.

_Yes, it's another secret. _

_Alright, I'll meet you tonight then. How many more of these do you have?_

_A few, but I'm ready to come clean with you and the others. _

_As long as you're really ready and not just doing it out of guilt. Everyone has a right to their secrets, even if others don't like that they have them. I'll keep yours, I promise._

_Thanks Ginny. That means a lot. _

_You're welcome, Harry. So I was wondering when are you going to speak with Professor Lupin about him knowing your parents._

_I don't know. I _—

"Harry, are you even listening to me?" Looking up, startled, the raven haired teen saw Hermione giving him an annoyed look as she held a small pair of trimmers in her hand.

"W-what?"

"Of for goodness sakes Harry, you're supposed to be helping me." The bushy haired girl huffed in irritation before turning to start clipping at the flower's stem, removing any dead or dying pieces.

"Right. Sorry."

_Gotta go._

He shut his notebook and turned fully to his friend, taking the can of water Hermione pointed to. He knew better than to try the girl's patients when it came to class work.

/*/

Harry waited until all was still in the dormitory, Ron's snores permeating the air loudly. He was glad that his friend had finally gotten over his temper that evening had pulled him into a game of chess as way of apologizing instead of having to actually say the words. But they were guys and that's just how they communicated, as they didn't need to spell it all out to get what the other was trying to say.

Satisfied that the other boys were asleep, he quietly got out of bed and pulled on his robe before grabbing his wand and shrinking his trunk. Glancing around once more to make sure no one was watching, he picked up the small box and headed out, snatching his watch off his dresser on the way out.

When he got downstairs, Ginny was sitting in front of the dying fire, her red hair seeming to glow in the low light. She glanced up when she heard him shuffled into the room, giving a small smile as he came around the couch to sit next to her.

"So what're you showing me?" She asked, her curiosity almost overwhelming. Harry placed the trunk on the floor in front of them and tapped it with his wand, not missing the small sound of surprise Ginny made as it grew to its normal size.

"I didn't just get a new trunk for school. This is…a lot more than a mere trunk." Harry said as he unlocked the lid and lifted it open, choosing the entire trunk option instead of a simple room, as he wanted to be able to move from room to room without having to exit the trunk.

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.

"C'mon, I'll show you." Before the small girl could protest, Harry stood and stepped into the trunk, much to Ginny's shock, and began to lower himself down until he completely disappeared from her sight.

Mouth agape, she leaned over to try and peer into the trunk, but all she saw was a glint of metal signifying the ladder. The rest was completely dark. Taking a breath to still her courage, the redhead stood and felt along the edge of the trunk until her hand hit the metal and she could feel the bars holding the rungs in place.

Hoping it was as safe as Harry made it seem, she swung her leg into the darkness until her foot got it's bearings on a rung; she then joined it with the other foot and began to climb down. As she continued downward, the world above her disappeared until she was standing at the bottom of the ladder in a brightly lit hallway with Harry waiting to the side.

"How—"

"Magic, of course. Apparently Aurors use these trunks a lot when they have to go out on assignment." Harry said before beginning to walk through an arch and into another hallway, this one with many more arches off to the side.

Ginny followed after him as he turned right and brought her into a decent size room that had worktables, cauldrons, and cabinets filled various ingredients and glassware. Harry took the opportunity to pull the tab on his watch to stop time, since they were both now in the trunk and would both be outside the time stream.

**(Okay, if you really want to see what I envisioned for the trunk and each of the rooms, please visit my photobucket as I created a new trunk that I think fits a lot better than the old one.)**

"The standard potions lab." Harry said, waving around the room.

"Wow. It's much brighter than Snape's dungeon." Ginny said as she walked around the room, amazed at the sheer quality of everything. It was very clear that no expense had been spared to make sure the young wizard had the highest end products available. There was even a golden cauldron resting within one of the cabinets.

"Yeah, I haven't actually gotten around to using it yet, but apparently it has anything and everything I'll ever need."

Harry shrugged, embarrassed at how much the entire thing had cost. It was boarding on ridiculous, but his father had been adamant in him getting one, especially since he shouldn't ever need another one for the rest of his life. It was like buying a house that he could carry with him wherever he went.

"I can see that." Ginny gave a small laugh and a shake of her head before turning back to him, noting the flush of his cheeks.

She wasn't like her brother when it came to being jealous of other people for their wealth, as she'd always had what she needed and knew how much her parents tried, so she wasn't envious of Harry for this. She didn't know exactly what he'd had to grow up like, but she'd heard enough that she knew he deserved to splurge if he wanted to. It was his money, after all, and should be able to spend it on anything he wanted to.

"Uh, there's more to see." Harry mumbled, still embarrassed.

"Lead the way." She giggled and motioned for him to start walking. Harry led her back into the hallway and through another arch.

"I've opened the entire trunk to us so we can move about freely without having to exit the trunk. That's why these arches are here. When you're in the single room mode, the arches don't lead to anything." Harry explained as they walked.

"Oh, nifty." He looked over his shoulder at her with an amused look, which she just answered with a smile and shrug. What was she supposed to say?

"This is the library." Harry announced as they stepped into the large room, getting a gasp from the 12 year old.

"This is…amazing." She said quietly as she moved past him to get a better view.

The walls were the same dark wood paneling she'd seen in the lab, only the wallpaper section was an almost mint green color that she found strangely soothing. Next the archway was a large table with six chairs patterned in a similar color as the walls, the table top wide enough for any study session she could ever imagine.

Moving further into the room, she saw two standalone desks against a wall and then two more facing each other and another against a corner. The strange thing, however, was that there were only a few bookshelves positioned in a corner with three plush white chairs in front of them for reading.

"Where all the books?" She asked in confusion.

"In there." Harry said, pointing to a set of wooden double doors. The redhead came over to join him as he opened the doors to his personal office.

"This was a bonus room, since it wasn't supposed to be able to be done. There's a certain number limit on the number of rooms that can be added to a trunk, but the creator was able to add a couple to mine by connecting them to already existing rooms. I can't actually enter the office from the outside, so it's kinda like it's not a real room." He explained.

"It's beautiful." Ginny murmured as she glanced around the room.

This one had a parchment colored wallpaper section above the wood paneling, making the entire room feel warm and homey. There were two white couches sitting next to a regal looking desk, which had two more of the plush chairs in front of it. She gave out a startled gasp when she looked above the fireplace and saw the sleeping portraits of James and Lily Potter.

"T-They're really real." She whispered in amazement. Harry stood next to her and smiled at the portraits, amazed at how exiting he found sharing their secret with Ginny. He'd thought he'd feel like he was losing a piece of them by sharing them, but he actually felt great.

"Yeah. C'mon, we'll finish the tour before we wake them." He said before leaving the room once more, Ginny following close behind.

Harry showed her a living room, large kitchen, dueling room, game room, and two guest bedrooms connected by a bath before leading her into the small home gym.

"This'll be where we can workout in the mornings."

"What do you mean? What are these?" Ginny asked in confusion upon seeing the various machines.

"They're muggle devices that'll help strengthen every muscle group in your body. They all do different things and I'll show you how to use them properly so you don't strain anything. They're what I was using before we started exercising together."

"Oh, alright. If you say they're safe." She said a little hesitantly, unsure of the machines.

"They are as long as you use them properly. And there's a connecting bath to shower after and change into normal clothes if you don't want to use the one in your dorm." He said before exiting. Ginny glanced around again before she followed, wondering what more he could possibly have to show her.

"This is the master bedroom. It has a large bath and walk-in closet as well." Harry explained.

The room was done in reds and golds of the Gryffindor style, only nothing was overly done or gaudy. Everything seemed to be more subdued rather than bright and shiny, which Ginny found a lot more welcoming.

"It's beautiful." She said as she walked past the four poser to see a short wall separating the room in two, a pair of couches on the other side sitting in front of a large window. Moving closer, her eyes widened before she dashed over to the window.

"Is that—"

"Yeah. You wanna see it?"

"Yes!" Harry chuckled at her excitement and led her from the room back into the hallway to the last arch.

They stepped out into a beautiful patio'd area that contained a pool, Jacuzzi, lawn chairs, and a small kitchenette that had a table and chairs to sit at. There were small patches of greenery and a few trees, giving the entire area the sense that you were actually outside.

"This is amazing! How in the world did the guy make this?" She asked in wonder as she crouched next to the pool to feel the water, which was surprising warm.

"I'm not sure exactly. It's a wonder what magic can do." Harry shrugged.

"Okay now—"

"This way." He chuckled as she bounced on her toes and led her through a connecting arch.

"Wow." Ginny mumbled as she titled her head back to see the tops of the goal posts, truly blown away there was a full size Quidditch pitch in the trunk. I mean, how was that even possible?

"Another bonus room. I figured it'd come in handy when I'm stuck at the Dursleys." She gave him a sympathetic look.

"Yeah, it'd definitely come in handy. This way you won't lose any training over the summer." She said.

"I figured that this might work for Snuffles." Eyes widening, Ginny looked around the pitch again and into the connecting patio.

"Would…would it be safe for him to be I here?" She asked in unease.

"Well, if humans are supposed to be able to live in these, then I think a dog will be fine. And I'll have him locked into a single room so he can't tear anything up. We can let visit him every morning and this will be a lot easier than trying to sneak out of the castle to feed him."

"If you think he'll be alright, than I think it's a brilliant idea. Thank you!" She smiled brightly and gave him a quick hug, making them both blush at the unexpected contact. They weren't really on the hugging level of friendship yet, but Ginny'd just been excited about being able to help their furry friend.

"Uh…no problem. Did you want to talk to my parents?" He asked after a moment, rubbing at the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Sure." Ginny mumbled, mortified she'd hugged him. It was just…she needed to remember that Harry hadn't grown up with a family like hers and probably wasn't used to hugging the way she was.

The two returned inside and quickly made their way through the library and into Harry's office.

"Mum, dad, can you wake up?" Harry called out loudly, giving each of the frames a little knock. The occupants of the paintings gave little startled jerks as they were awoken.

"W-what's goin' on?" James asked groggily as he rubbed at his eyes.

"Sorry to wake you, but I have someone for you to meet."

"We're finally meeting someone? Well don't dillydally, son." Lily said, sitting straighter in her frame, excited at the prospect of meeting someone new. Harry just shook his head at them before stepping back.

"This is Ginny. Ginny, these are my parents." He introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Ginny said, eyes still wide in amazement that she was actually talking to the Potters.

"Ginny! We've been waiting to meet Harry's friends for ages. It's about time he brought one of them to us." James said, making his son blush a little.

"Don't mind him, Ginny, he never learned manners. We've heard a lot about you. How're you doing, honey?" Lily asked, her mothering side coming out as she peered down at the girl who'd been through hell. She wasn't nearly as bad off as the older woman had feared, but she wasn't sure if that was due to simply recovery time or if she hadn't been as affected as she'd thought the girl would've been.

"Oh, uh…I'm fine, Mrs. Potter."

"Call me Lily, please."

"A-alright."

"So what brings the two of you here so late?" James asked as he got comfortable.

"We were attacked by dementors this morning and have been forbidden from doing our morning workouts, so we had to find another way to keep exercising." Harry explained.

"Dementors! On school grounds?" Lily asked in shock.

"Yeah, they're right horrible things." Ginny shuddered, as if just the thought of them brought back the coldness.

"I still cannot believe Dumbledore has allowed them to be anywhere near the school. And now two students were attacked! It's outrageous." Lily fumed, angry the headmaster would allow the students to be in such proximity to those creatures, no matter what the minister demanded.

"Yeah me either. But until Black is caught I don't think they're going anywhere." Ginny said, missing the head shake Harry tried to give.

"Sirius Black is innocent! He was set up!" Eyes widening a little, the redhead looked up at James in shock.

"Sorry, he's a little touchy about the subject."

"And rude. James." Lily sent her husband a look that had his shoulders slumping a little before he straightened back up.

"I apologize, Ginny. It's just that I know Sirius would never kill anyone or support Voldemort. It enrages me that he's been blamed for this."

"But…there were witnesses that saw him kill those muggles. Weren't there?" She asked in confusion, her mind working quickly to try and understand what was going on.

"Dear, what one thinks they see doesn't always align to what actually happened. Sirius was a very close friend of ours in school and it is unthinkable that he would ever betray us like he's accused of. He denounced his own family because they were dark and he didn't want to be anywhere near them." Lily explained.

"Dad is positive he's innocent, but there's really no way of knowing until Black is caught." Harry added.

"Actually, I wanted to speak with you about this. As our only descendant, you have a right to view the court case and transcript of Sirius's trail since you're one of the wounded party. If you'd been older, you'd have been called in to sit in the trail, but being a baby, I'm sure they didn't find it necessary." James said.

"How do I do that?"

"You'll need to contact the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I'm not sure if Bartemius Crouch Sr. is still the head, but they should have a copy of the transcript." Lily answered.

"And they'll just send me a copy?"

"Yes, they should. And we'll be able to know exactly what happened during the trial and see if we can find out what went wrong." James gave a firm nod.

"If there's even a chance that Black's innocent, then the truth needs to be figured out." Ginny said quietly, her own sense of justice making itself heard above the certainty of the man's guilt.

"Alright, I'll send an owl in the morning. But we should go if we're before my watch starts ticking again."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked in confusion.

"Oh, right. Uh…I may have a watch that can stop time for a few hours." Harry muttered.

"What?"

"It's a family heirloom. I used it to pull pranks but Harry's only done school work with it. Can you believe that?" James shook his head.

"James. Don't mind him, he's still a twelve year old at heart." Lily said, reaching into his frame to give his shoulder a light slap. James gave an exaggerated wounded look before smirking and diving for her.

"We should go. Before they…yeah." Harry shuddered as his mother started laughing as James tickled her. Ginny hid her laugh as she followed him from the room and back towards the ladder.

"How does the watch work?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but it stops time for a few hours for everything else. I don't really understand how it knows what not to freeze, but it's come in handy with my school work. I can only use it a few times a week, though, so it's not a constantly available thing." Harry shrugged before exiting the trunk, Ginny following closely behind him.

Her mouth fell open in surprise when she spotted the fire, which was frozen, its dying flames stuck in the air. The clock on the wall didn't tick, the hands still in the position they'd been in when the two had descended into the trunk. Time truly was stopped.

"Amazing." She whispered, making Harry nod in agreement before he pressed the watch's tab back in. Ginny watched in awe as everything just resumed as if nothing had been amiss, the clock ticking cheerfully and the fire giving a couple little crackles.

"We should go get Snuffles now. I don't know if we'll be able to sneak away later."

"How're we going to do that?"

"My invisibility cloak." Harry said as he clicked on the normal storage icon on the trunk, where he kept anything he'd need at a moment's notice. Like his school books and the cloak.

"I'd heard Ron talk about it before, but I didn't really believe him." Ginny said in awe, fingers trailing over the silk in wonder.

"It was my dad's. Alright, c'mon." Harry said, shrinking the trunk down and putting it in his pocket before swishing the cloak over his shoulders. Ginny's eyes widened as his body disappeared, leaving him as only a head, which she found funny.

"We'll both fit?"

"Yeah. If Ron, Hermione and I can fit under it, then we'll have no problem." Nodding, she stepped closer to him and let the boy pull the cloak over both their heads. She had to swallow at how close they were, willing her stupid crush to not act up as they made their way through the portrait hole and down through the castle.

To be honest, it was a little alarming how they were able to sneak out the door that led to the greenhouses, as they'd thought it'd be harder considering there was a criminal on the loose. But it worked in their favor, so neither brought it up as they headed closer to the Forbidden forest. It seemed to take forever before they finally crossed the bridge that went over the large gorge, but they eventually made it.

"Snuffles?" Ginny called out quietly, her head poking out of the cloak.

There was a distant howl on the wind, making Harry look up and bringing his attention to the fact that the moon hung full and bright in the sky. Remembering the talk he'd had with his parents about the fact that Remus Lupin was a werewolf, he swallowed in fright and hoped they got out there quickly.

"Snuffles?" Ginny called out again, a little louder this time.

"Maybe he's run off." Harry said, his unease growing.

"No, I'm sure he's here. Snuffles!" She called out even louder, cringing a little as her voice echoed through the night air. There was a rustling from inside the trees, making Harry's heart begin to pound in fear, before the large black dog jumped from the forest and came bounding towards them.

"Snuffles!" Ginny said happily as she pulled the cloak off, revealing Harry to the dog's eyes as she crouched down to scratch behind his ears.

"We need to hurry, Gin." Harry muttered as he got the trunk out and enlarged it.

"Alright, boy, we're gonna put you somewhere safe. After the attack this morning, we're not allowed outside by ourselves, so we can't bring you food. So instead, we're gonna put you where we can visit and you'll be safe. Don't be scared." Ginny said. Harry gave have an eye roll, thinking she was crazy for thinking the dog actually understood her.

"I'll put him in the patio." Harry said, clicking the right room before turning to the pooch.

"Don't be scared." Ginny repeated as she stroked his dirty hair. Snuffles glanced between the two before he moved closer to Harry, trusting that his godson wasn't going to try and put him in a normal school trunk.

"Alright, we'll levitate him down." Ginny nodded and pulled out her wand, the two quickly casting the levitation spell and lifting the startled dog over the trunk before gently beginning to lower him.

Harry followed the dog down by the ladder, keeping his wand steady as Ginny leaned over the top, even though she couldn't see anything. Once the dog's feet hit the ground, Harry released his spell.

"We're good!" He called out, letting her know she could stop her own spell.

"Alright boy, so this'll be your home for now. There's water and food over there." Harry pointed to two bowls that he'd set out while they'd been in earlier. The dog gave a happy bark before trotting off to fill his aching stomach.

"You're sure he'll be alright?" Ginny asked once he'd reappeared.

"I'm sure. But we'll have to levitate the trunk back upstairs, as I don't want to risk it by shirking the trunk down."

"Okay." They two struggled for a moment to lift the trunk while also keeping the cloak over them, but they eventually made it. The trek back to the tower was a long and slow one, as they had to avoid Mrs. Norris and Peeves, but they finally made it back to the common room.

"Here, use it in the mornings to get into the dorm. We'll keep to the usual time, so no one'll be awake." Harry said, handing her the invisibility cloak.

"Are you sure? I mean, it was your dads."

"I'm sure. It's not getting any use out of it, so dad'll be glad you're using it. Well, I'll so you in the morning then."

"Yes. Good night." They shared another smile before parting ways, Harry levitating the trunk up to his dorm.

Ginny held the cloak close to her as she returned to her own room, amazed Harry would trust her with such a priceless artifact. She promised herself to take good care of it and not lose that trust, especially considering how many secrets he'd revealed to her. She felt like she finally crossing over into being a real, true friend of Harry's and she couldn't be happier.

No matter what her brother said, Ginny wouldn't give this new friendship up for anything.

**AN: Okay, so I know it's been forever, but I just started writing this chapter the other day and it all seemed to flow like it used to. I don't know how many of you are still reading it since it's been so long, but I hope any of you that did enjoyed it and that it made sense and maybe even cleared some things up.**

**For anyone who thinks the trunk is a little outrageous, I agree with you. But I viewed this more as purchasing a house rather than a trunk, so that's why it was so expensive and large. I want Harry to be able to have this for the rest of his life, so I thought it was acceptable for how I created it. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Wow guys, I never expected so many reviews after the super long wait, but thank you for being so awesome! It is one of the many reasons I love the HP fandom. I appreciate all the feedback and the time it took for you guys to leave a comment, so thanks! **

**Also, sorry for the wait. I pulled a muscle in my back last week and thought it'd gotten better but a few days ago it got so bad it hurt to move, so sitting at a computer was out of the question. **

Meh1237890: I know the internet and stuff was all new in the 90's, but I think I said this before that I need some of the things for future changes I plan to make. I happen to not like a lot of stuff in the decade, especially the fashion, so I'll probably be taking liberties as a writer to change things around. I hope it doesn't bother you too much! Thanks for reading and enjoying.

Guest: I'm sorry you had to reread the story! I know the delay in updating was ridiculously long. I'm glad you liked the chapter though! Thanks for reading.

SeanHicks4: Thanks so much. I'm thrilled you liked the chapter. I'm looking forward to the introduction of Snuffles to the portraits too. Thanks again! I hope you like this chapter too.

Scrappy8: Thanks! I thought it was important in their building friendship for Harry to confide in her, even if it's strange he hasn't gone to his two best friends yet. All in good time. I hope you like this chapter! Thanks again.

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Harry Potter world. **

Chapter 9: Facing Inner Demons

After the two kiddies had left him in peace, Sirius quickly transformed back to his human form, wanting to explore his new home. He didn't know how his godson had ever even thought to buy a trunk this nice and he was curious what else it held.

Plus, it was a sure bet that he was in Harry's dormitory; which meant if he could get out of here he could snatch up Pettigrew and kill him before anyone was the wiser. Then he could go back to being Padfoot, or Snuffles as Ginny had named him, and live out the rest of his days as a beloved pet instead of a criminal on the run. It wasn't the life he'd ever envisioned for himself, but it was better than rotting in a cell or getting kissed by dementors.

But his hopes were dashed when he found he couldn't open the door at the top of the ladder that he thought led to freedom and the archway was a dead end. He was locked in this outside patio room until Harry returned and released him, as frustrating as it was to be once more imprisoned.

Unable to exit the trunk to seek his revenge or to simply explore, Sirius made use of the extraordinary room and took a dip in the pool before spying the goal posts. The convict spent the rest of the night using the basic broom that was located next to the pitch to just enjoy flying. It wasn't as nice as having the real wind on your face, but it was still amazing.

He finally began to feel human again; as if he may be able to move past the last twelve years of torture. That his demons may actually be able to be put to rest and he could move on with his life, even if that meant remaining as a pooch.

After his flight, he'd shifted back into his animagus form and snuggled into one of the plush lawn chairs, the light not keeping him from slumber. His tense muscles were able to relax as he didn't have to worry about being caught by Aurors or dementors. He was able to let his guard down and let sleep take him for the first time in years.

/*/

Albus Dumbledore, wizard extraordinaire, made his way into the Minister's office, coming to a stop before the secretary that sat outside the man's personal office.

"Ms. Toyl, I'd like to speak with the Minister, if he has a minute." The girl behind the desk looked up in shock, feeling herself instantly go back to being an 11 year old and seeing the man for the first time. It was a strange sensation, to say the least.

"M-Mr. Dumbledore! Uh—the Minister said he didn't want to be disturbed." She stammered, not sure what to do in this instance. She was only filling in for Umbridge, who was out sick, and she really didn't want to get fired already.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll see me." Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled over his half-moon spectacles at her, once more making her feel like a child. It was just really hard not to when she was before such a great and powerful man that had been her headmaster for seven years. Old habits die hard, as they say.

"Um, alright. I'll let him know you're here." She got to her feet, running a hand down her light purple robes self-consciously before she approached the Minister's door and gave a light rap.

Albus stepped away from the desk to examine the landscape mural that hung by the outer door, fully confident that the Minister would see him. And if he tried to deny him an audience…well, that wasn't a likely scenario. The aged man had to keep his persona of calmness fully in place, not wanting to let anyone know how much he really wanted to curse the fumbling man for the danger he'd put the students in.

He might not always come completely clean with those around him about his plans or what the true price of peace costs, but that didn't mean he was indifferent to his students' suffering. As headmaster, he did have to have a certain level of separation, but that didn't make him blind or apathetic. It was his responsibility to keep those in his care safe and sound, and so far, he'd admit that he'd been lax in his obligations.

"Albus! So great to see you." Fudge stepped from his office with a smile, bowler hat in place.

"Likewise. We need to speak, Minister."

"Of course. Mary, hold any incoming mail please." The young woman nodded as she watched the two men step into the office, breathing a sigh of relief that her head hadn't been chewed on for disturbing the Minister.

"What do I owe for this honor, Albus?" Fudge questioned lightly as he took a seat behind his large desk, his own mask in place. He'd never let the aged wizard know it, but he truly unsettled him because Cornelius knew he could unseat him as Minister if he ever wanted to, as great his influence on others was.

"There was another attack. I want the dementors taken away, Minister. They're too dangerous, as I told you, and now they've attacked the students twice." Dumbledore said seriously, the twinkle absent from his eyes as he sat before a man he didn't think actually had the clout to be Minister.

Especially not when Voldemort had made his survival known and would be planning something to get back into power. No, Cornelius Fudge didn't have the stones to face the coming war.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but the dementors must stay. Black was spotted not far from Hogsmeade and we both know he's headed to Hogwarts. Our best chance to catch him is when he tries to enter the grounds."

"Minister—"

"I'll increase the Auror patrol, but the dementors stay." Fudge said firmly, unwilling to back down and look weak. Plus, his administration really needed the capture of Black for possible reelection.

"And what of the students? Do you think their parents will be supportive of keeping those creatures so close to their children when there's been two attacks already and it isn't even Halloween?" Dumbledore frowned at the man.

"You're not going to announce the second attack, are you? That'd look bad on the school for not being able to protect the students."

"No more than it'd reflect poorly on the man responsible for placing the dementors there in the first place." The two men stared hard at each other for several minutes before Fudge sighed.

"It's getting colder, so I reckon Black'll make his move soon before the winter sets in. Then he'll be captured and the dementors will be sent back to Azkaban. That's the best I can do, Albus. We can't allow that criminal to wonder free and threaten even more lives, muggle or magical."

"And if there are any more attacks?" The headmaster demanded angrily.

"Let's hope there aren't any. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with the Union Board in twenty minutes to get to."

"Mark my words, Cornelius. If there are any more attacks I will let it be known you refused to withdraw the dementors when I requested it. I doubt the votes will look kindly on their Minister putting their children in danger." Dumbledore said in a quiet, somber tone before he swept from the office, leaving the Minister to his thoughts. Stupid, ignorant man.

/*/

It was a lot easier to sneak food back to the dorms than Harry'd thought possible with Ginny having the invisibility cloak and knowing where the kitchens were, so they stored a large selection of meats since they didn't have any general dog food. Not that Snuffles seemed to mind.

After his talk with Ginny about Remus, Harry decided it was time to approach the older man and stop waiting around. If he wanted to know why the professor had kept his silence, than he just had to ask him point blank instead of waiting, as that obviously wasn't working.

With that in mind, Harry packed one of the photo albums he'd taken from the vault in his schoolbag so he could speak with Lupin after class and hopefully get some answers. He was hoping the werewolf would be open to speaking about his parents, as it was different to have an actual person to talk to and not just portraits. He wanted to know his parents as well as anyone did, and one of their best friends was surely going to give Harry that.

Harry waited as the students filed out of the classroom, Hermione and Ron giving him questioning looks that he just waved at; the two shrugged before heading to the Great Hall for lunch, knowing Harry would tell them what was up later. Ron had never officially apologized for his 'attack' on Harry, but the two had just silently brushed it off the way boys did and played a game of chess.

"Is something the matter, Mr. Potter?" Remus Lupin questioned once the young man was the only remaining student. He began erasing the board in preparation for his next class, giving the teen time to collect his thoughts or courage to actually approach him.

"Uh, no Professor. I was actually hoping we could talk." Harry said after a moment, finding it strange how hard it was to actually get his voice to work.

"Sure. I'll have some sandwiches brought up. Rosey!" Remus called out, setting the eraser down as the house elf popped into the room and gave a light bow.

"Master Lupin?"

"Yes, could we please have some sandwiches and tea?"

"Of course, Master Lupin." Rosey gave another bow before vanishing, reappearing a moment later with a tea tray laden with ham and turkey sandwiches.

"Thank you Rosey."

"You're welcome." The elf gave another bow before disappearing.

"We'll eat in here if you don't mind. There's more room." Lupin said and sat the tray on a desk before sitting on the top of another one. Harry stared at the casual display before shaking his head and taking his own seat, accepting the cup the man offered.

"Thank you."

"No problem. So what is troubling you, Harry?"

"Uh…you know the day we fought the boggart?" Harry asked after a moment, his courage failing him and having to find something other than his parents to talk about.

"Yes." Lupin said slowly, sipping from his own mug as he watched the teen over the brim.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" It wasn't what he'd originally come to ask about, but it had been bothering Harry that he'd not been allowed to face the creature.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry." The professor said with a raised brow, surprised.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Well, I assumed that if the boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort." The older man revealed with a frown.

Harry's eyes widened a little at the revelation. Not only was that the last answer he'd expected, but Lupin said Voldemort's name. The only person Harry had ever heard say the name aloud except for himself was Professor Dumbledore.

"Clearly, I was wrong. But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in a staffroom. I imagined that people would panic." Lupin continued.

"I…I didn't even think of Voldemort. I—I remembered the dementors from the train." Harry said honestly.

"I see. Well, well…I'm impressed. That suggests that what you fear the most of all is—fear. Very wise, Harry." Lupin said thoughtfully, smiling slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face.

"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the boggart?"

"Well…yeah." Harry gave a small shrug.

"Harry, if there was anyone who I thought had the best chance against the creature, it would be you. I simply didn't want to cause a panic."

"Oh…but, I mean, I can't even face a dementor without passing out. I'm not that strong, I guess." Harry frowned at the sandwich he'd picked up, his appetite diminishing as he thought about the hellish creatures.

"It has nothing to do with strength, Harry. The dementors affect you worse than the others because there are true horrors in your past that other people don't have. Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them.

"Get too near a dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself…soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to _you_, Harry, is enough to make anyone pass out. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."

"When they get near me—I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum." Harry stared at the sandwich, his throat tight and his eyes stinging with the threat of tears.

"I'm sorry." Lupin whispered, his own throat tight as he thought about his lost friends.

"Azkaban must be horrible." Harry muttered, getting a grim nod in reply.

"The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they're all trapped inside their in heads, incapable of a single cheerful thought. Most of them go mad within weeks."

"Except for Sirius Black. He managed to escape from them. He got away…" Harry trailed off, reminded that he hadn't heard from the DMLE about his request for Black's trial transcript. He didn't miss the jerk of Lupin's hands, his tea threatening to slosh over the sides of his mug before he sat it down quickly and cleared his throat.

"Yes. Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible…dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long."

"_You_ made that dementors on the train back off." Harry said, and idea suddenly making itself known.

"There are—certain defenses one can use. But there was only one dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist."

"What defenses? Can you teach me?" Harry asked, eyes wide at the possibility.

"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting dementors, Harry…quite the contrary…"

"I need to be able to fight them, professor. What if they attack me or Ginny, or any other student again? If there's a way to fight them, I _need_ to know it." Lupin looked into Harry's determined face, feeling like he was looking at James. It was heartbreaking and yet warming all at the same time.

"Well…all right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays."

"That's fine. Can my friends come too?"

"Harry—"

"Please? Ginny…she went through some awful things last year and the dementors make her remember them." Harry's eyes were large as he begged, the green almost glowing in the afternoon light. It was more than Lupin was able to resist, as it'd been when he'd been a baby.

"Fine. If it'll help, then I'll try. But know that it's extremely hard to fight the dementors; even adults have trouble."

"We'll try our hardest, I promise." Harry gave a light smile before biting into his sandwich, glad that there actually seemed to be something they could do to counter the evil creatures. It was disappointing that they couldn't start till next term, but he'd take what he could get.

"I was actually thinking about speaking with the Headmaster about restarting the Dueling Club from last year." Remus revealed after he swallowed, bringing the boy's attention back to the present and his eyes meeting his.

"Why?"

"Well…with the Defense teaching position constantly being in a state of turnover, I thought it'd be prudent to actually teach students the foundations to protecting themselves."

"That….actually, that's a really good idea. I mean, Quirrell and Lockhart really didn't teach us anything useful. Quirrell was being possessed by Voldemort and Lockhart…well, Lockhart was more interested in himself than actually teaching us."

"Yes, I've been told about my predecessors. Do you think students would actually come to the Dueling Club if I got it approved?"

"Oh yeah, they definitely would. But, uh…could you not have Professor Snape there?" Lupin arched a brow at him, making Harry flush.

"I mean—uh…"

"It's alright, Harry. I've heard about what happened with the snake and Professor Snape's teaching style. I'll be sure to have someone who's qualified there to help teach."

"I'll definitely sign up, as will my friends. I'm sure most of Gryffindor would come."

"Good. I'll speak with the Headmaster later then." The two trailed off into silence as they finished their sandwiches and tea.

"Well, it's been delightful chatting, but I must get ready for my next class." Lupin said once he was done, wiping his hands and mouth with a napkin and standing from the desk.

"Wait!" Harry surged off his own desk, hand gripping the teacher's robe sleeve a moment before releasing it in embarrassment.

"Yes?" Lupin arched a brow in question.

"I—here." Harry pulled the photo album from his bag and shoved it into Lupin's hands.

"What's this?" The werewolf questioned as he opened the album, his throat closing and eyes widening when he saw a picture of the Marauders, all laughing while they sat under a tree.

"I know you knew my parents." Harry said in a rush, his heart pounding in his ears.

Remus stumbled until he was once more sitting on a desk, his fingers shaking as they traced the faces of those he'd lost. Swallowing thickly, he turned the page, tears filling his vision as he saw more and more pictures of him with his old friends, his brothers.

"W-Where did you f-find this?" Remus looked up, his face tortured as his watery eyes met Harry's.

"In my Holdings Vault." He replied quietly, unsure of how to continue this. He'd never met his parents before the portraits and missed them; he couldn't even imagine what it must be like for Remus.

"I…yes, I knew your parents. James was…he was like a brother."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Harry muttered, getting uncomfortable.

"No, it's, uh, it's alright. I just…I haven't seen pictures of them in so long." Remus whispered.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew them? Or Sirius Black?" The teacher wiped at his eyes and closed the album, sighing heavily.

"I…I didn't know how to bring it up."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry, Harry. I should have told you. I was…I was scared, to be honest. Afraid you'd reject me or something." Remus mumbled, fingers caressing the leather reverently.

"I understand. I just…I'm just happy to finally have someone that knew my parents. Someone who can tell me things about them."

"Yes, I can. But, right now is not the time. You should head off to class before you're late." Remus said when the door handle jiggled and fifth years Ravenclaws started streaming in.

"Okay."

"Here you go."

"No, you can keep it. I have more and you should have something of my dad's." Harry waved the offered album away, giving a small smile before he grabbed his bag and headed towards the door.

"Thank you." He barely heard the quiet response, but the teen gave a wave and nod before leaving, heading towards Transfiguration.

Remus closed his eyes to get his composure back before he walked to the front of the class, the used tea tray disappearing as he set the photo book down on his desk and addressed his class. He certainly hadn't expected today to have so many twists and his mind was still trying to catch up with all that'd happened. It was going to be a long night, that's for sure.

/*/

"So what'd you need to talk to Professor Lupin about?" Hermione questioned as they sat in the common room, doing homework before their Astronomy class later that night. She'd been bursting to ask, but hadn't had a chance since he'd almost been late to Transfiguration and there was no way she was going to disrupt Professor McGonagall.

"Um…I found out he knew my parents."

"What?" Hermione and Ron both said in astonishment, reminding Harry how much he'd kept from his two best friends.

"Yeah, I found some photo albums in my vault and the resemblance was too striking. Not to mention the name listed on some of the pictures." Harry said as he flicked through his Ancient Runes book, trying to find the symbols they'd been made to research.

"Why didn't you say anything before now?" Hermione asked, hurt.

"I don't know. I just…I didn't know if he was going to be happy I'd found out or not. I just…"

"I understand." She reached out and gently squeezed his hand, knowing how unnerving it must be for her friend.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys."

"It's alright mate. So what'd Lupin say?"

"Not a lot, actually. He got really emotional and I felt bad for bringing back those memories. But I think he'll be more open to talk once he gets over the shock."

"That's great, Harry. But if Professor Lupin didn't say a lot, than why were you gone all lunch period?"

"Oh, because I actually talked to him about other things before I gave him the album. He's agreed to teach us how to fight against dementors next term." Harry said in excitement, his eyes shining at the possibility.

"Really?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"How's he gonna do that?" Ron questioned as he nibbled on a bun he'd taken from dinner.

"I'm not sure, but however he did it on the train, I'm guessing." He shrugged, scanning the common room for the missing redhead, wondering where Ginny was, as he hadn't seen her since dinner.

"That'd be brilliant."

"Yes, I quite agree. Now, what'd you get for this symbol here?" Hermione pointed to the circular design she'd drawn in her notebook, wanting to get back to her homework. Ron and Harry just shared an eye roll before Harry went back through his notes to find the symbol she'd indicated.

/*/

"Hey Luna." Ginny said quietly as she sat down in front of the Ravenclaw, who was stationed at a table in the corner of the library, out of the way and secluded.

"Hey Ginny. Have the Dreguals left you alone?" The blonde girl looked up from her parchment, silver grey eyes zeroing in on Ginny in a way that she would have found unsettling if she hadn't grown up with the girl.

"I think so. What are Dreguals again?" She asked kindly as she pulled out her notebook and potions book.

"They're nasty little things. Always causing the host to feel sad. But I don't see any of them, so I think you're okay." Luna answered with a smile, her hand fiddling with her Butterbeer cap necklace.

"Oh, well that's a relief. So how've things been? We haven't really talked that much since the year started."

"Oh, good. I've only had to search for my belongings twice so far, so that's good. How about you?"

"Uh, I'm getting better. Last year was...trying. But, I think I'm moving past it. Or at least, I hope I am." Ginny gave a small shrug and smile.

"That's good." The two fell into silence as they both turned back to their work, which the Gryffindor was thankful for.

That was one of the best things about Luna. She didn't press if you didn't want to talk about something and she gave you the space you needed, letting you know she was there for you if you needed her. People may not understand the eclectic second year, but Ginny was more than happy to count her as a friend.

/*/

On Halloween morning, however, all the good cheer seemed to be removed from both Harry and Ginny as they made their way down to breakfast, having skipped their workout that morning since all the boys were awake early in excitement.

The teen boy tried to put on a happy façade so that his friends didn't feel bad about getting to venture down to Hogsmeade, but it was a wasted effort as both Hermione and Ron seemed to know him too well.

"We'll bring you and Ginny lots of sweets back from Honeydukes." Hermione said, feeling horribly sorry for them both. The two looked positively dejected and her heart went out to them.

"Yeah, loads." Ron agreed, the two seeming to be back to rights after the Crookshanks incident, much to everyone's relief.

"Don't worry about us. We'll find something to do, right Ginny?" Harry gave a wan smile to the redhead, who's face lifted a little so she could give a slight nod. The third years weren't sure what had gotten her so down, as only yesterday she'd been smiling and laughing; they just hoped it was something that would pass.

"Well…alright then." Hermione said after a moment, not really sure how to make things better. She was worried about them both but didn't know how to help.

"We'll see you at the feast. Have a good time." Harry mumbled.

"Yeah. Have a good time." Ginny piped up after a moment, tired eyes rising to meet those of her brother and friend. Her face was pale, the dark smudges under her eyes standing out starkly and showing the others she'd had trouble sleeping, something that had seemed to wane since school started.

"See you later." Ron waved as he got up and pulled his cloak on over his clothes, knowing it was already getting cold and he would definitely need the protection for the trek down to the town.

"Bye." Hermione gave one last smile before she followed the redhead from the hall, leaving the two friends alone.

"Ginny, are you alright?" Harry questioned after a moment, peering closely at her. She lowered her eyes and gave a tired sigh.

"I just…I had nightmares last night, is all." She shrugged lightly before she started placing slices of bacon and sausage in a napkin to take to Snuffles as a treat.

"I thought they'd mostly gone away." Harry murmured quietly.

"They had. It's just…with everyone so excited about the holiday, I couldn't stop thinking about last year."

"Last year? Oh…when Ms. Norris was petrified." Ginny looked back down at the table, finger fidgeting before she clasped them together tightly.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, Gin. I feel like such a nutter for not remembering." The raven haired boy reached out and squeezed her clasped hands, giving a small smile that she tried to return, both used to the warmth that always accompanied any physical contact by now.

"Everyone seems to have forgotten, which is good because they're not looking at me like I'm evil anymore. But it still happened and I just…every time I think I'm beating him, I'm sent right back down the spiral again." She said sadly, hating that she wasn't strong enough to just move on. She'd been doing so well too.

"Hey, if anyone knows how hard it is, it's me. No one really says anything to me about today either; I'm not sure if it's because they don't remember or if they're just trying not to make me upset. But I can never forget what today is, no matter how much I try."

"What?" Ginny asked in confusion, her brown eyes meeting his, shocked to see how sad he suddenly was.

"My parents were murdered 12 years ago today." Harry answered quietly, making her gasp in surprise and grip his hand tightly.

"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry! I—"

"It's okay. I didn't expect you to remember." He gave a small shrug.

"No, we should remember rather you tell us or not. I'm sorry I didn't even think about what today means to you." Ginny squeezed his hand again, eyes glistening.

"We both have issues to work on."

"Yes, we do. But we can help you right now. Let's go visit your parents." She said firmly before standing, grabbing the wrapped treat from the table and heading towards the doors. Harry shook his head, still confused how she could switch between moods or topics so quickly, before standing and following.

/*/

After visiting with the portraits and play fetch with Snuffles for a bit, Harry had an idea on how to help Ginny. He was able to speak with his parents and vent his frustration and sorrow that they'd been taken from him, but Ginny didn't have that luxury as her demon was the teenage form of Voldemort. So they'd simply have to find another way for her to move past her first year.

"Where're we going?" Ginny asked as they ventured down from the tower, the teen having suddenly expelled them from the trunk and led her from the tower.

"I realized that there might actually be a way for you to…heal, I guess." Harry answered as they come to the second floor landing, his hand shooting out to grip her hand before she could move away.

"H-Harry?"

"You were unconscious when I faced Tom Riddle, so you only have what was told to go off of. I thought that…well, maybe if you could see where he…died, that that might help you." The raven haired teen said as he pulled her towards the bathroom that housed the infamous Moaning Myrtle.

"Oh—I—uh…" Ginny's throat was tight as fear choked her, her palm beginning to sweat against his.

"It's going to be okay, Ginny. I promise." He gave her a smile that she would've found endearing if she wasn't so afraid. It was one thing to say you were going to fight your demons, it was altogether another to actually have to face them head on.

"I—uh…okay." She whispered as he pulled her into the bathroom, needing him to lead her as her knees were beginning to wobble.

Harry glanced around the dimly lit room, ears perked for any sign of Myrtle as he pulled them over to the sinks. But the wailing girl seemed to be missing, which was unusual, but a welcome gift as he really didn't want to have to deal with the hormonal teenage ghost.

Ginny gasped when Harry hissed at the tiny snake etching and the tap glowed a bright white and began to spin. She gripped Harry's hand so tightly her nails threatened to draw blood as the sink began to lower itself into the floor. All that was left was a large pipe that Harry, Ron and Lockhart had slid down the year before to save her.

"H-How are w-we gonna get b-back?" The girl stammered as she stared down into the dark hole, her racing pulse almost drowning out everything else.

"Huh, I hadn't thought of that. Fawkes flew us up last time." Harry mumbled, releasing Ginny's hand to squat next to the pipe and exam it.

"Hmm…there has to be a way Slytherin got in…maybe—" Harry muttered to himself before his words turned into a hiss, shocking Ginny even more when a rope with a loop at the bottom appeared. But it was much too short to lead down the pipe.

"I—I don't understand." Ginny mumbled as Harry tugged on the rope, but it didn't budge.

"Maybe it's similar to a lift and goes up and down." He replied before ordering the rope to go down in Parseltongue, smiling brightly when the cord lengthened and the looped end disappeared into the darkness.

"How'd you figure that out?" The redhead questioned, her wonder overriding her churning stomach for a moment.

"Salazar Slytherin had the Chamber built, so he had to be able to get to it and back again. I mean, why build a secret chamber if you can't access it, right?" He gave a small shrug and smile before calling the rope back to the top.

"You should go first so I can lower you down." Harry said after the rope was back in its starting position, causing Ginny's eyes to shoot back to his and widen in alarm.

"Uh…maybe we shouldn't—"

"There's nothing down there that can hurt you, I promise. But if you really don't want to go, then we'll just go back to the common room. I don't want to force you to go, even if I think it'd be really good for you."

Ginny's back steeled at his words, knowing a challenge when she heard one and unable to keep from responding. Weasleys may be poor, but they had boundless amounts of courage and determination.

"No, I'm fine." She said firmly and lowered herself until her legs dangled over the edge and she could grip the rope.

Sliding her foot into the loop, she took a deep breath and held her courage tightly, willing it to be enough to get her through this. She missed the proud look that Harry gave her as she lowered herself into the pipe and Harry sent the rope descending, her head quickly disappearing from sight.

A few minutes later the rope went slack, Ginny's weight obviously disappearing. He gave her another moment to get out of the part of the pipe that leveled out before he followed, the darkness slowly lightening as he got to the end of the pipe.

Ginny held her wand above her head to illuminate the passageway and allowed Harry the time to light his own wand. Once his wand was lit, Ginny stopped her own '_Lumos!'_ so she could do a quick '_Scourgify!' _on both their robes, thankfully ridding them of the slime that lined the tunnel they'd descended.

"Thanks."

"No p-problem." She mumbled before relighting her wand, her fear once more flooding her as she followed Harry, shuddering at the snake skin they passed, until they came to the partially removed rock wall.

"Do you remember this?" Harry asked quietly as they stared at the gap that led into the rest of the tunnel and then the Chamber of Secrets.

"I…Ron pulled me through it, I think. It's really fuzzy."

"He did. This is where Lockhart tried to '_Obliviate!'_ us with Ron's broken wand and ended up doing it to himself, causing the rock fall. I was on the other side so I continued on while Ron worked to make this gap so we could get back out." Harry explained, wanting her to have the full story, as he didn't think she'd ever actually heard it.

"Oh. I can't believe he actually tried to erase your memories." She shook her head as he helped her through the gap, hand tight around her wand as her eyes skidded around the dark tunnel.

"Yeah. I feel bad for all those people he did it to in order to write his books and claim their fame. There's no telling how many people he did that to." The two shared a look at the thought.

The trek to the snake door was long and winding; when Ginny began to shiver in the cold, Harry took her hand, the warmth the action emitted heating them both up.

The door was ajar when they reached it, as neither of them had bothered closing it behind them, allowing them to pass through without having to stop. Ginny's entire body began to shake as the dimly lit chamber came into view, the torches seeming to light upon their arrival and throwing the long room into shadows.

"Uhg." Harry covered his nose as they were assaulted with the stench of decay, the body of the 60 ft basilisk drawing their attention and distracting Ginny from the ominous columns that had snakes winding around them all the way up to the dark ceiling, which she actually couldn't see it was so high.

"We forgot this would be here." She said as she covered her own nose, thankful for the distraction.

"So, uh, I came in and saw you lying between the statue's feet. You were breathing but wouldn't wake up." Harry pointed to the huge statue of Salazar Slytherin at the end of the Chamber.

"I remember waking up there." Ginny nodded, her words coming out muffled behind her hand.

"Yeah. Uh, Riddle wasn't fully solid yet. He was kinda blurred around the edges, if that makes sense. But the longer you were unconscious, the stronger he got. He summoned the basilisk and then ordered it to attack me. Fawkes came after I defended Dumbledore and dropped the Sorting Hat and then blinded the snake so I could keep my eyes open."

"Lucky."

"Yeah. If he hadn't shown up I'd be dead." Ginny paled at his words, her guilt over the entire ordeal creeping back into her heart.

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, we already talked about this, remember? You were manipulated and used; none of last year was your fault." Harry lowered his hand to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly, even though that didn't seem to appease her much.

"My dad always warned us about things like the diary, objects that didn't have a brain but could still respond. I shouldn't have even written in it." She shook her head sadly as she started moving towards the still body.

"You had no idea what would happen, Gin. You're the only one that blames you for anything. But like I had to accept that I couldn't have stopped Voldemort from killing my parents, you have to accept that Riddle was too powerful for you to fight against."

"I guess." Ginny gave a noncommittal shrug, her nose scrunching as she got closer to the basilisk.

"So then I pulled the Gryffindor Sword from the hat…well, I actually put the hat on and then it dropped onto my head." Ginny gave a small giggle at that, much to his relief. Harry moved over to stand next to her, still shocked at the sheer size of the beast.

"Then what happened? How'd you kill it?"

"When it lunged at me, I pushed the sword up through its open mouth. That's how I got the fang in my arm." He explained, pointing to the hole that was on the top of its head where the sword had come out at.

"And…and T-Tom?"

"I stabbed the diary with the fang from my arm." He pulled her over to where the stones were stained black. Ginny took a deep breath before kneeling, letting her trembling fingers move over the dried ink.

"That's it? That's how he died? A fang through the diary?"

"The research Hermione had done had mentioned the venom of the basilisk was lethal and incurable, well…except by phoenix tear apparently. So I figured if Riddle was actually becoming human or whatever it was, that the venom would destroy him. And it did. And then you woke up and the rest you know."

"Good. Good." She muttered, her fingers still moving over the stones as her brain tried put all the pieces together.

No one had told her what'd really happened down here, as she guessed only Harry and Ron, and Hermione of course, knew the whole truth. The trio really did have a problem sharing the details of their adventures with others. But it was nice to finally have the story, to know what'd actually happened instead of just having her imagination to paint the picture.

"Did this—did it help at all?" Harry questioned after a few moments of silence, squatting down next to her so he could see her face. Ginny looked up at him and gave a small smile.

"Yeah, I think it did. I…all summer I've just had nightmares and my imagination ran wild with what I thought had happened. I think my mum forbade Ron from talking to me about it, so I didn't know the real story. Maybe now that I've actually seen where—where he was destroyed I can move on." She whispered, a new lightness in her tone as hope began to fill her at the possibility of shedding her demon.

"Good. I'm glad I could help. I'm sorry no one would talk to you about it before, but maybe you really weren't ready to hear it until now." Harry gave a small shrug, which she smiled at before standing.

"Maybe. Probably. So what're you gonna do with the basilisk?" She motioned to the slowly decaying body.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm no expert, but I do believe when you kill a magical creature like a vampire, you get to keep the body and do whatever you want with it. Or I might be wrong. I dunno. I just think my dad had a case once where some wizards had killed a creature out in a muggle village and it caused a lot of issues for him or something." She shrugged, not really sure as it'd happened when she was younger and she couldn't remember it clearly.

"Oh. Uh…what do you do with a dead snake?" Harry asked as he approached the body again and nudged it with the toe of his shoe.

"I guess you'd have to ask someone who'd know. Maybe Hagrid? Or Professor Lupin?"

"Hmm…I could ask Professor Lupin. I talked to him the other day and I think it'd be good to have another chat."

"How'd he take it? Hermione only said that he's gonna give us dementor fighting lessons."

"Good…he was shocked that I knew who he was, but I think it was good. I let him have one of the photo albums so hopefully he'll be willing to help us."

"I'm glad things are working out with him. The portraits are amazing, but it'll be nice for you to have someone flesh and blood to talk to." She grinned at him as they started back towards the exit.

"Yeah." Harry nodded in agreement as they passed through the open snake door and began the long trek back to the castle.

/*/

Remus Lupin wasn't exactly sure how he found himself down in the fabled Chamber of Secrets helping two children and a half dozen house elves harvest a huge dead basilisk. Not only was he in a place that no one had thought was actually real, but he was also in the presence of a creature that was so rare only a few had been seen in the last century.

Add to that the fact that the beast had been killed by a twelve year old, James and Lily's son, was just mind boggling. He, like most teachers, had been told of the adventures of the "Golden Trio" over the last two years and had found it a little hard to believe. But standing in the Chamber, surrounded by proof, made the old Marauder proud and he knew James and Lily would both be very pleased with how much Harry had grown.

It was a little strange for Remus to be a witness to this older Harry, as the last memories he'd had of him before the school year had been when he'd been a baby. Which probably explained, at least to some degree, how he'd gotten down here; Harry had looked at him with his eyes pleading and it'd taken the wolf back to baby Harry asking for a toy and he'd been helpless to withstand it.

It was nice to get to spend some time with Harry too. He'd been hesitant at first, not sure how the boy'd react to him; he'd also been uncertain how _he'd_ handle actually interacting with James' son after so long. He was discovering that the teen had a good mixture of both parents within him, while also beginning to find out who he was as a person.

It was also painful, to be honest. Every time the wolf was around the boy, his chest would ache for the friends he'd lost and could never get back. In one night he'd lost everyone he'd ever cared about and his world had been utterly destroyed. The fact that it was all due to one of his very best friends was crimpling to the man.

"So what are they doing exactly?" Ginny asked, bringing the teacher from his thoughts and back to the present.

"Since you didn't wish to include Professor Snape, they're helping us to harvest the body. Basilisks are extremely rare and are among the most sought after creatures in our world because of the properties they possess.

"For instance, their venom is the main ingredient in a very rare potion that can cure a person's eyesight. The venom eats through the eyes and the rest of the potion creates new ones. It's extremely painful, I'll be honest, but it's our only solution for complete blindness." Remus explained as he held a lead box out for Rosey, who was busy extracting venom from the beast's side.

He'd spelled the vials not to dissolve and the lead would keep any venom that did leak out from escaping and hopefully it'd be enough to keep the poison from eating through everything it touched. Four elves were extracting venom from the body while another carefully removed the teeth, which Harry was helping with; all of which would find new homes in the boxes.

"Oh. Well that's good. Maybe Harry'll sell the venom to the apothecary so they can make the potion."

"Yeah, that sounds great. Although I'll probably keep some just in case we need it in an emergency. And you guys can do whatever you want with yours, of course." Harry commented as he carefully placed a tooth inside a box, not wanting another incident without Fawkes present.

"What're you talking about?" Ginny raised a brow as she sat next to Coxy, who was beginning to cut into the snake, magicing the smell and gore away before it could spill. The redhead still had to fight back the urge to gag as the skin was gently cut away.

"The only reason I was able to get down here and save you was because of Ron and Hermione. And Professor Lupin and the elves are helping us. I figured we'd just all split the stuff in the end." The raven haired boy shrugged.

"Harry that's—"

"Hey, there's more than enough venom, fangs, and skin for all of us. Plus, I don't need the money and I think everyone deserves to get part of the prize since it took all of us to get down here. Well…actually, Hermione figured it out and then Ron and I just went from there, but still."

"That's very generous of you Harry, but I must decline. I didn't help slay the basilisk nor have any right to it." Remus gave a smile which earned an eye roll, much to his surprise.

"Yeah, but without you we wouldn't know what to do with it. It'd just rot here forever." Harry said before turning back to his job, ignoring the two as they tried to refuse again.

It was a little irritating, but he figured after the tenth time he didn't give a response they'd just give up. It wasn't like he'd done all this himself and it wasn't right to take all the glory; Ginny would be dead and Tom Riddle alive today if it wasn't for his friends, that he was sure of. It was a group effort and the entire group should benefit, whether they wanted to take the rewards or not.

/*/

It took most of the day before all that was left was bones, which Remus banished before the elves set to cleaning the chamber. Harry wasn't really sure why they bothered, but it was nice it wouldn't be so dank and dark anymore, whether anyone returned to it or not.

Harry and Ginny told the others about their day during the feast, much to their surprise. Ron had been, as expected, heatedly against taking anything from Harry, seeing it as a form of charity. The raven haired boy had to sit his friend down in the dorm and reason with him the way he had with Remus and Ginny; Ron'd only agreed after Harry'd said he'd give his share to Snape if the redhead didn't take it.

Hermione had gone into full research mode, wanting to know the properties of the venom and skin fully; she'd headed off to the library after the feast and hadn't returned until curfew. Apparently the skin was desired by Aurors because it was thick and could protect the wearer from hexes and jinxes while also being resistant to fire.

It was right up there with dragon hide, which Harry thought was cool and planned to see if he could get his portion made into a cloak or something.

Dumbledore had allowed Remus to take the ingredients the students wanted to sell to Diagonal Alley; he'd returned with a large bag of gold for Ron and smaller ones for Ginny and Hermione, who'd kept some of the things for themselves.

Harry had stored his own things in his trunk for later, wanting to be present when he made his orders so that everything went correctly. He'd find someone to make the cloak when he found someone to make his wand, even if that meant he had to wait. It wasn't like he was in desperate need of it at that precise moment.

Unfortunately, for Ron at least, the headmaster had insisted the money be given to their parents for safekeeping. The Gryffindor boy had been beside himself, as he'd finally had money of his own, but it was Dumbledore and he did as he was told. Mr. Weasley sent them both back a few galleons to do their Christmas shopping, but the rest had been placed in personal vaults for both children that they could use for school.

Another development was that Dumbledore announced the Dueling Club would be restarted on Fridays after dinner and would be taught by Professor Lupin and Professor Flitwick. The majority of the student body was excited, both that the club was back and because Professor Snape wouldn't be a part of it.

The Slytherins made snide comments and sneered, but as Harry expected, a lot of them turned up to the practices, probably to see if they could get away with cursing the other students.

Not that he wasn't trying to think of the other House in a more favorable light; it was just hard when they continued to go out of their way to make life difficult for all the other houses. Draco Malfoy had continued his custom behavior, even though he tended to now have several feet between him and Harry.

One good thing is the blonde had steered clear of Ginny, both physically and verbally, so Harry thought that was progress.

/*/

November quickly came, along with the turning of the weather; it got colder and the sky was a constant grey, ominous clouds its constant companion. There hadn't been any hard storms yet, but it was clear it was only a matter of time before the downpour came.

Oliver was getting frantic with the upcoming match, which had been switched from Gryffindor vs. Slytherin to Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff. They all knew the snakes were just too scared to fly in the bad weather and had faked a reasonable excuse to get out of the match.

Although, with Snape as their head of house, they didn't have to try very hard as he gave them anything, especially if it hurt the Gryffindors.

But the captain and keeper was driving the seeker barmy, as he'd pop up between classes to try and give Harry technique advice and would make him almost late to class. It was getting to the point of ridiculousness and the raven haired teen was about ready to bite Oliver's head off in irritation. It only got worse the day before the match and he _was_ late for DADA, which turned out to be a hell of a class.

Lupin was out sick and Snape had been picked to sub, which the Gryffindors all thought was a poor decision. And when the Potions Master made them read about werewolves, Harry knew exactly what he was trying to do. The fact that he'd plant the idea in a bunch of third years' heads was really low and Harry wanted to curse him, but they'd already lost enough house points, so he kept his mouth shut.

That didn't stop him from raving to his parents that evening after he'd fed and watered Snuffles. He just didn't understand how someone could be that vindictive that they'd actually try to sabotage another person's job.

"I mean it was just low. I've been trying to give the Slytherins another chance like you asked, but Snape is just a snake." Harry fumed as he sat in one of the plush chairs in front of the fire, his parents sitting in their frames and watching him intently from above. They'd never seen him so worked up about anything and it was…well, a little entertaining, to be honest.

"Severus Snape and Remus have a…strained history, Harry." Lily said after a moment, sharing a look with her husband that had him looking down in shame.

"What do you mean?" Their son asked in confusion.

"We went to school with Sniv—Snape. We were all in the same year, actually. And the Marauders—"

"The Marauders picked on Severus horribly all through school." Lily finished for him when he paused, glaring at him.

"He asked for it a lot of the time." James tried to defend himself, but the look she sent him had him slumping in his frame.

"No one deserves what you did to him, James Arthur Potter. Your father was a very…obnoxious and arrogant youth, which hasn't changed that much." James rolled his eyes, reminding Harry that his parents had only been 21 when they'd died and still very…young.

"Your mother's right. We shouldn't have picked on Snape the way we did. But we were young and stupid. Apparently Snape holds a grudge."

"You can say that again. He's been positively awful to me since the day I set foot in Hogwarts. He took points from me once for _breathing too loudly_! And now he's trying to expose Lupin, the only decent DADA professor we've had." Harry shook his head in anger, glaring at the empty fireplace.

"Yes, uh, Sirius is to blame for that actually." James mumbled, making his son look up in interest.

"Snape was trying to discover what we were getting up to on the full moon, after we'd become animagi, and Sirius played a prank on Snape. Got him out after dark and Remus…well, Remus was transformed and would've hurt him if I hadn't saved him. Snape always thought we were all in on it, when it was really Sirius just being Sirius." James explained after a moment, hating he was actually having to tell Harry this.

But he didn't want his son to make the same mistakes he'd made, and if that included coming clean about the trouble he got up to, then so be it. Playing pranks was fine, but putting someone's life in danger was unacceptable. And even though it was Sirius that'd played the prank, they were all responsible on some level.

"So Snape's trying to get Remus fired because he almost killed him?"

"Yeah, pretty much. And our pranking is why he doesn't like you."

"Well, that's not totally true." Lily interjected, biting at her lip when those green eyes turned to her.

"What do you mean?"

"Severus and I, we grew up together. We were friends—"

"You were _friends_ with Snape?" Harry asked in shock, his eyes the size of saucers.

"Yes. He wasn't always like this. He used to be quite different, actually. Before the pressures of being in Slytherin and joining Voldemort's side got to him, anyway."

"How? What? _Why?_" James hid a laugh at his son's confusion, as he'd had the same questions back when he'd gone to Hogwarts.

"People change, darling. You just have to trust me that he used to be a good guy."

"Your mother's trying to say don't judge her for dating him."

"WHAT?" Lily reached over and slapped James behind the head, making him chuckle.

"Harry—"

"Ew. Ew. You kissed _Snape?_ Gross." Harry blanched in disgust, making his dad snicker louder.

"Don't be so dramatic. Surely you didn't think you father and I only dated each other." At his look, Lily couldn't help but bark out a laugh.

"Oh please, you father went through so many girls it's a wonder there were any left over."

"I had to keep myself occupied while you kept turning me down!" James defended himself, making Lily snort and his son to watch them both with wide eyes. It still amazed him how much he didn't know about his parents, even when some of the unknown was horrifying, like his mum dating Snape.

"Please, you enjoyed being promiscuous, don't try to deny it. But it's alright because I got you in the end." Lily smirked over at him, her eyes twinkling as much as the paint would allow. It had his metaphorical blood racing and desire heightened.

"None of them compared to you, Lils."

"Uhg, could you wait until I'm gone to do that?" Harry's face scrunched up in disgust, not wanting to see his parents flirt.

"Shouldn't you be getting to bed anyways? I thought you had a Quidditch match tomorrow." Lily said with a quirked brow as James slid into her frame, sliding a hand down her back.

"Yeah. Right. Good night." Harry shook his head before leaving, his stomach knotting already at the thought of the match. No matter how many he was in, he still got nervous and had trouble sleeping.

He checked on Snuffles on last time before exiting the trunk, the dormitory dark as his roommates were all asleep. Harry pulled his Quidditch robes out and sat them on top of his trunk so they were there for the morning before crawling into bed. It was going to be a long night and he just hoped he got some shut eye so he had his energy for the match.

**AN: Okay, I hadn't planned to stop here, but this chapter has been ridiculously hard to write so I just wanted to be done with it. I hope it came out alright because it's not exactly what I'd planned, but I gave it my best. Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: So I don't really know where the inspiration came for this chapter, but I hope anyone that decides to give it a read enjoys it. Thanks for reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the Harry Potter universe. Any familiar text was borrowed from the book.**

Chapter 10: Unbelievable Turn of Events

Harry sat bolt upright, his heart racing, his eyes sweeping around the dark room to find what'd woken him. He jumped a little when he spotted Peeves floating next to him, the annoying man having been blowing hard in his ear.

"What'd you do that for?" He asked furiously, annoyed he'd been woken up so early, and on game day. The poltergeist just puffed his cheeks out then blew hard, zooming out of the room with a cackle.

Knowing he wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep, Harry turned his alarm clock off and got out of bed with a groan. One very hot shower later, he felt less groggy and grabbed his broom and his bag, figuring he could finish the charms essay that was due on Monday. He made his way quietly downstairs until he reached the common room, which was quiet and dark, the silence only interrupted by the loud clapping of thunder outside, the first large storm of the year already getting worked up.

Harry whiled away the hours in front of the fire, doing his school work, even managing to doe off once the essay was completed. He was woken up a little while later by Ginny, who was decked out in rain gear in Gryffindor colors, her hair pulled up into a ponytail.

"C'mon sleepyhead, let go to breakfast."

"Alright." He nodded and grabbed his broom, leaving his bag next to the couch, knowing no one would bother going through it.

The two headed down to the Great hall, the hour still early, meaning there weren't many awake yet and they had the large room mostly to themselves. Neither of them wore able to sleep in anymore, having trained their bodies to wake up early for their workouts, so this wasn't unusual for either of them.

Harry had a large bowl of porridge, not wanting to test his nervous stomach with anything heavier; Ginny didn't have to worry, so she had eggs, sausages, and potatoes, her apatite having increased as she continued to heal. She wasn't over last year, but she'd made amazing progress in facing her demon and realizing that she'd survived; realizing that Tom Riddle hadn't destroyed her. And while she still had nightmares, they were growing fewer in number as the weeks went on; she was growing healthier, both mentally and physically. That was a win in her book.

The team finally showed up, Oliver Wood looking anything but calm and collected.

"It's gonna be a tough one." He muttered, hands fidgeting with his broom, not moving to eat anything.

"Stop worrying, Oliver. We don't mind a bit of rain." Alicia said soothingly, her words met with a loud clap of thunder and a bright streak of lightening.

"Oh, yeah, it's just a bit of rain." Fred said sarcastically, getting a glare from Alicia, as Oliver's hands just tightened around his broom stick.

It was anything but a little rain. The wind was ferocious, the thunder loud and the rain biting. They all had to wear spelled goggles to repel water just to see in front of them, making Harry grateful he didn't still wear glasses, as that would've just been a nightmare. And things were bad enough as it was.

And they just got worse, as he'd been chasing the snitch when the field was covered with dementors, the creatures unable to resist the temptation of so many souls in one place. He'd tried to keep going, but his mother's screams had filled his head until he couldn't focus on anything else. He'd fallen, plummeting to the ground, unconscious before he'd even made impact.

Gryffindor lost by a hundred points, Cedric Diggory having caught the snitch right after Harry'd fallen. They're only shot at getting to compete for the Quidditch Cup now was if one of the other teams lost by a hundred points or were disqualified, neither of which seemed likely. Harry was horrified, this being the first Quidditch match he'd ever lost, as well as the fact that he'd passed out _again_ because of the dementors. Add on the fact that the Whomping Willow had reduced his beloved Nimbus Two Thousand into kindling, and he just wasn't having a great day. It was like he'd lost a piece of himself, a best friend, and he didn't know how long it'd take to get over the loss on top of everything else.

Madame Pomfrey kept him in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend, much to his annoyance. But he had a constant stream of visitors to keep him company, so it could've been worse. His friends were constantly there, only leaving at night and his teammates popped in randomly to check on him and try to lift his spirits. Wood came up to tell him he didn't blame him for the loss, but the older boy's voice was dull and hollow, making Harry feel even more guilty, as it was his captain's last chance to win the cup before he graduated. Hopefully they'd somehow find themselves in the finals and he could make up for this before it was too late.

Unexpectedly, the girl from the glasses store, Stacey, showed up to see how he was doing. Harry was embarrassed about the loss and once more going unconscious, but the 6th year had reassured him that no one thought less of him, making him blush and knock over a book that'd been on his side table. Stacey had just giggled and picked up the book, finding him cute.

Ron had laughed at him once she'd left, while Ginny had forced herself to join in the teasing, reminding herself that Harry was her friend and that was more important than some crush. She had to push the jealousy she felt towards the pretty Ravenclaw down, knowing it was pointless, as there was nothing she could do about her looks or age. It wasn't easy, but she reminded herself that Harry was also still really young and that him having a crush wasn't the end of the world. Maybe she'd even develop one herself on someone other than Harry, which would definitely be good.

Harry was glad to return to normal life on Monday, him and Ginny exercising and playing with Snuffles before heading to breakfast, like usual. He got a surprise, however, as an owl dropped a letter by his plate, the envelope closed with a ministry wax seal. Hoping it was about his inquiry about the trial transcript, he quickly opened it, pulling out a single leaf of parchment.

"What's that?" Hermione asked as she opened her Daily Prophet.

"Oh—uh—I wrote to the DMLE to see if I could get a copy of Sirius Black's trial transcript." Harry replied, getting looks of surprise from everyone but Ginny.

"Why d'you wan' that?" Ron asked in confusion, a piece of toast half-sticking out of his mouth.

"I'll explain, but not here." He said, eyes moving around the crowded hall. Hermione pursed her lips, wanting to know now, but understanding the need for privacy. Harry skimmed the page, his confusion about the whole thing growing.

_Dear Mr. Harry Potter,_

_I must apologize for the delay in my reply about the trial transcript for Sirius Black. It troubles me to inform you that there isn't a transcript because there was no actual trial. I've searched the archives completely but there is no record of Mr. Black getting a trial for his charges. It appears that he was placed in Azkaban immediately after his capture._

_This is very troubling, as this act deprived Mr. Black of his rights as a citizen of the Magical Community of Britain. I am continuing to look into the matter to understand why he was denied a trial as other captured supports of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were given their due process before being convicted._

_Please rest assured that I will get to the bottom of this matter and will let you know what I find. Thank you for bringing this injustice to my notice so that I might rectify it. Even criminals deserve to be treated civilly and responsibly. _

_Madame Amelia Bones  
>Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement <em>

"What does it say?" Ginny asked after a minute, her curiosity killing her, especially since she actually knew what it was about.

"Black didn't get a trial; they just threw him in prison." Harry answered with a frown, folding the letter back up with a sigh. This didn't clear things up at all; it actually made it more confusing and he started to truly believe his parents might be right after all.

"How's that possible? Everyone is supposed to get a due process of law and a trial, even in war times." Hermione said with a scowl, her mind racing, trying to understand. None of the books on Wizarding customs she'd read had ever mentioned criminals being thrown in Azkaban without being found guilty beyond doubt. It didn't make sense.

"I don't know. The head of the DMLE said she'd look into it." The raven haired teen shrugged, not having any answers. He understood this world less than all of them, though he was working on that, so he was at a loss.

"'S weird." Ron mumbled around a piece of bacon, getting an annoyed look from Hermione before she went back to reading the paper.

"Maybe your dad's right." Ginny whispered, getting a slight nod in reply. He knew he needed to come clean with the others about everything, but this wasn't the time or place.

"The attack's in the paper! Dumbledore called a school board meeting!" The bushy haired girl announced after a few minutes, capturing everyone's attention.

"What?"

"There's an article on the dementors' attack. Here, listen.

_The Ministry is abuzz this morning upon the news that Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, called an emergency meeting of the Hogwarts School Board to discuss the issue of the dementors appointment at the school. _

_It was revealed that students, whose names have been kept secret due to their age, have been attacked by the creatures three times since the Hogwarts Express left Platform 9 and ¾: on the train, early one morning in October, and yesterday at the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff Quidditch game. _

_The parents were justly horrified to find out their children had been in such danger, as it is well documented the horrors that dementors cause those around them to experience. And the possibility of one of the children getting kissed and their soul removed had the Board demanding answers to why the fowl creatures were allowed such free reign._

_Mr. Dumbledore made a point of clarifying that he and all the staff at Hogwarts were against the dementors' placement from the very beginning. It was also revealed that the Grand Sorcerer had gone to the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, to request to have them removed from the grounds following the second attack. _

_The Minister, who has declined to comment at this time, apparently put catching Sirius Black, escaped criminal, above the children's safety and well-being. The Board has not yet decided if they are going to overturn the decision and none of the members would comment._

_We will keep you updated and let you know the School Board's decision once it's been made._

_Geoffrey Fredricks  
>Senior Reporter of the Daily Prophet<em>"

Hermione finished her face showing her surprise, as it was the first article she'd read that didn't paint the minister well. And the fact that Dumbledore had taken a stance against him public was shocking, even if she whole heartedly agreed with the headmaster.

"Man Dumbledore was really mad. I mean, I've never seen him so furious at the pitch; but, to go to the press, he must be beyond angry. Wonder what Fudge'll do." Ron speculated.

"I hope they remove the dementors. I'm tired of running into them." Ginny shuddered, just the thought of the vile creatures enough to make her shiver. The sooner they were gone, the better.

"We should get to class." The bookworm said a few minutes later, finishing her orange juice and grabbing her bag.

"We could skip; it's only history." Ron mumbled, really not wanting to go to class, even if he'd end up sleeping through it anyway.

"Ronald! We are not skipping class!" Hermione said shrilly, making the boy wince at the high pitch. Harry just shrugged at the two and grabbed his own bag, exchanging goodbyes with Ginny before the trio left.

"So are you going to tell us about why you're looking into Sirius Black?" Hermione questioned as they headed towards History of Magic, her curiosity nearly overwhelming her. The raven haired teen rubbed at his neck, glancing around the busy stairs.

"There's…I haven't told you guys everything about this summer."

"What d'you mean?" Ron asked, not understanding, as they didn't really keep secrets from each other.

"Listen, I can't explain here, and there are things I need to show you, privately." Harry muttered quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear them. The brunette seemed to debate with herself before she sighed heavily.

"Then let's go where you can tell us." The guys stopped and turned back to look at her, both their faces showing their shock.

"You—_you_ want to skiv class?" Ron's voice was skeptical, his eyebrows nearly touching his hairline.

"I do not condone skipping classes, but as you pointed out, it is only history, and I've already read the textbook. I want to know what Harry's kept a secret." She replied, eyes settling on the youngest group member, her expression a strange mix between hurt and sternness. She was a little upset that he'd kept secrets, but she was willing to move past it if he'd come clean now.

"Uh—okay, yeah, sure. Let's go back to the dormitory."

Harry shrugged and started up the next staircase, surprised and nervous that they were actually going to do this now. He'd thought he'd have the day to come up with what he'd say, so he was floundering a little. He wasn't sure how either of his friends were going to react; would they understand or would they be mad and hurt and never forgive him? What if he lost them because he kept this from them for so long? What would he do then?

_You're worried about Ron and Hermione, I get it. But if they're as good of friends as they claim to be, they'll just be happy you finally have a connection to your family._

Ginny's words echoed in his head, reminding him that she hadn't been mad and that true friends wouldn't be either. Or, at least, they'd forgive him for keeping secrets and be excited that he now had parents to talk to. He hoped Ron and Hermione understood.

"What's the big secret? How's it connect to Black?"

"I'll explain everything when we're in our dorm room." Ron rolled his eyes but fell silent, the three reaching the seventh floor quickly. The common room had a few stragglers, but they didn't pause on their trek, going up the boy's staircase and into the 3rd year dorm.

Hermione wasn't very comfortable being there, but she was too curious to complain. And they rest of the boys were all gone, leaving the room in silence and giving the group the privacy Harry wanted.

"Okay—I, uh, sit down." Harry fidgeted in front of his trunk, making Ron and Hermione exchange a look, as they'd never seen him so nervous. Quidditch didn't count.

"Harry—"

"No, no, I need to explain. Sit." The bushy haired teen pursed her lips before sitting on the edge of Ron's bed so she could see him better, the red head joining her. They watched their friend take a deep breath and square his shoulders, obviously gearing up for whatever he was going to reveal.

"I want you both to know that I didn't keep this from you to hurt you or because I don't trust you."

"We know—"

"Hermione, if I don't get this all out, I might not." Harry butted in, not knowing if he'd be able to do this if they kept interrupting. This was harder than when he'd told Ginny, because they were his best friends and he didn't know how he'd deal if they decided they didn't want to be his friend anymore. When Hermione nodded and clamped her lips shut, Harry took that as his cue to continue.

"Before Hagrid found me, I didn't have friends; I didn't even know what real friendship was like. And you've—you've both helped me to understand it and I don't want either of you to think I don't trust you, because I do." Harry paused to take a breath, his heart pounding in his ears. The two remained silent, even though it was clear they both wanted to speak.

"The reason I haven't shared this with you is because I wanted to keep it to myself for a little while. And then I was afraid you'd be angry because I kept it a secret for so long, so I stayed quiet. I know I should've told you before, but I didn't. So I just hope both of you will understand and won't be too mad." They watched as he opened his trunk and pressed some type of button before glancing back at them.

"Follow me."

"What?" Hermione stepped towards him in confusion, her eyes widening when he stuck first one leg and then the other into the trunk and then started to lower himself until only his hands and face were visible.

"Come on." Ron's eyes were as big as saucers when Harry completely disappeared. The two looked into the trunk, but it was completely dark, only the glint of the metal ladder visible.

"What in the world?"

"It's…it's a magical trunk. I've only heard about them, as they're really expensive. How'd he get one?" Ron mumbled, his hands gliding over the gleaming sides, awestruck.

"Let's find out." She said with determination, fingers going to the ladder to feel it out. She took a calming breath and stuck her foot inside, waiting to make sure she didn't splinch or something. When it was deemed safe she started down the rungs, darkness enveloping her as she descended, until the room came into view. It was some type of entry way with an archway leading out, Harry waiting to the side.

"Mate, how'd you get this?" Ron asked when he stepped off the ladder, his eyes trying to take everything in. Which wasn't that difficult, as there was only the ladder and archway, but whatever.

"I'll give you a tour and then explain. C'mon." Harry motioned for them to follow, leading them into the living room.

"Wow." Hermione whispered as they stepped into the tastefully decorated room.

"Yeah. I think the man who created it hired someone to decorate or something. And I can apparently connect the fireplace the Floo Network if I need to."

"This is amazing!" Ron spun around, his eyes wide. He felt a vicious stab of jealousy at what Harry was able to have because of money. He hated that he felt like that about his best friend, but he couldn't help it. Maye he'd get a trunk like this with the money he'd gotten from the basilisk sale.

"There's a lot more to see." The trio moved from one room to another, that first stab growing into an inferno within Ron. Harry's trunk was bigger and better than Ron's whole house and it just wasn't fair.

"So why'd you buy this? It's a little…excessive, don't you think?" Hermione questioned as he led them towards the library.

"Yeah, I don't think I'll even use most of it for years, but I was…encouraged to get it, since it'll last my whole life if I keep it in good condition. And it'll come in handy when I'm at the Dursley's, as I'll be able to actually do my homework and fly."

"Fly?" Ron's ears perked up, pulling him out of his moping. Harry grinned and nodded.

"I have a Quidditch pitch." He said proudly, making his friend's mouth fall open in shock.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's not as good as flying outside, but it's better than nothing."

"Can we see it?"

"Sure. I was gonna wait to shot it last, but we can go now." Harry nodded and veered away from the library, instead going to the archway that led towards the outside room.

Snuffles greeted him by jumping up until his large paws were on Harry's chest, his tongue laving attention to the teen's cheek. Hermione jumped about a foot in the air when she first saw the huge animal, calming down only when she saw it wasn't going to maul Harry's face.

"Get off." Harry pushed at the large dog with a laugh, wiping at his face to get rid of the slobber.

"You have a dog?"

"What's up with that, mate?"

"It's kinda a long story. Well, Ginny and I found him when we were running and she was upset when we couldn't go out anymore, so I brought him down here. So yeah, I guess I do have a dog."

"What's his name?" Hermione asked, holding her hand out for the animal to sniff.

"Snuffles." That was met with two looks of disbelief, making him laugh and shrug.

"Ginny named him." He said, as if that explained everything. And it did, to Ron at least, as he was well aware of his sister's penchant for strange pet names.

"So anyway, the Quidditch pitch is through there." Ron ditched Snuffles, nearly running in his excitement. Harry let them explore, checking on the dog's food and water, even though they'd been there a couple of hours ago.

"This is truly impressive, Harry." Hermione said as she wandered around the room, dipping her fingers in the cool pool water.

"I'm looking forward to using it this summer. I won't even have to see my relatives." Hermione gave him a sad look, knowing how horrible his relationship with the Dursley's was.

"I'm glad you'll have a place to escape. But…what does this have to do with Sirius Black?" Snuffle's ears perked up and he sat at attention, completely focused on the two teens. Harry scratched behind the dog's ears, knowing it was time to be honest.

"The trunk doesn't have anything to do with that. It's what I've kept inside the trunk that does." Hermione turned inquisitive eyes on him, both ignoring the whooping and hollering coming from the connected room.

"What're you keeping down here? Is it illegal? You're not…you not keeping Black here are you? Harry! He's trying to kill you!" The boy's eyes widened at the conclusion she'd jumped to, missing the way the dog tense under his hand, his ears flattening.

"What? Of course not, don't be crazy."

"Then what?" Hermione huffed, irritated he wouldn't just come out and say whatever it was that he needed to.

"This is so cool! I can't believe you have your own pitch!" Ron exclaimed, coming back into the main room, a little overwhelmed with everything. He'd never even imagined a trunk like this could exist, let alone that his best friend would be the one to own it. At least it wasn't Malfoy's.

"There's one more room I need to show you." Harry said and started towards the archway again, the two following behind him. Snuffles tried to follow, but Harry shook his head and locked the room, not wanting the dog to wander around.

He led them into the library, or well, it was more of a study room, as it only had a few bookshelves. The room mainly consisted of desks, seating, and a large table that seated six comfortable, a prime study station for a group.

"It's beautiful."

"This isn't the real room. I have a connecting office. And…that's where I keep the things I've kept a secret." Harry revealed, moving to the double doors.

"The trunk isn't the secret?" Ron questioned.

"No. Well, I mean, I did keep it a secret because I wasn't sure how you'd both take it, but t's not the big secret." Harry shook his head, hands going into his robes' pockets as he shuffled his feet.

"Is it really that big of a deal?" Ron wondered out loud.

"Yes it is."  
>'Well then, show us." Hermione motioned with her hand, getting impatient. The trunk was very impressive, but she wanted to know what he'd kept from them.<p>

Harry nodded and opened the doors to his office, stepping before them to make sure his parents were dressed before the others saw.

"Harry dear, shouldn't you be in class?" Lily's question was met with gasps of surprise, Hermione and Ron both hurrying around the corner until they could see where the voice had come from.

"You—you're parents!" The girl pointed in shock, nearly tripping over her own feet.

"Bloody hell!" Ron muttered, just as floored as Hermione.

"Mom, Dad, this is Ron and Hermione."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. We've heard so much about you." Lily smiled, leaning forward in her frame.

"I…where did you find them?" Hermione asked, her mind trying to comprehend just what it was she was seeing. Harry, somehow, had magical portraits of his parents.

"They were in my Holdings vault."

"Why'd you keep it a secret?" She turned hurt eyes onto him, not understanding why he wouldn't want to share such an amazing find with them. They were his best friends!

"I dunno. It was like I wanted to keep them to myself for a while; to get to know them, I guess."

"Damn this is weird." Ron muttered, eyes flicking between the paintings.

"I get it Harry, I do. You've never known your parents; and then to be given this gift, it must've been amazing. But I wished you would've shared it with us."

"Don't be too hard on him, Hermione. We're a bit of a handful." James said with a smirk.

"Speak for yourself." Lily scoffed with an eye roll, making the imprint pout and the teens all laughed.

"Are they always like this?"

"Yeah. At least they're wearing clothes."

"How many times do we have to apologize? Let it go son." James winked, showing he found it amusing.

"Okay, so you found your parents' portraits and then bought your trunk? What does any of this have to do with Sirius Black?" Hermione questioned, bringing them back to just why they were there.

"Sirius is innocent!" James exchanged, getting wide eyes from Ron and Hermione. Lily gave him a light slap.

"Let Harry explain James." The two teens turned confused eyes to Harry, who motioned towards the chairs that sat in front of the fireplace.

"Dad is the one who told me to buy the trunk. And mom talked me into changing courses and they both helped me with the notebooks."

"So that's how you knew the spells! I'd thought you'd been reading books on advanced spell work." Hermione grumbled, still a little irked that he'd been able to create something so advanced without her help.

"Well, we gave the spells, Harry had to actually perform them, and they required a lot of power." Lily spoke up, not wanting to take the credit when they really hadn't done much.

"Anyway, so I found out Sirius Black actually used to be close friends with my parents, along with Lupin."

"He was my brother."

"And dad is positive he's innocent, so I wrote a letter to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to see if I could get a copy of his trial transcript."

"Have you heard back from them?" Harry scowled at his father, irritated the man continued to interrupt.

"Yes, this morning. And it turns out Sirius didn't even get a trial." He explained to his parents, as his friends already knew this.

"Please tell me you're joking." Lily said quietly. She sighed heavily when he shook his head.

"He was set up, he had to be. And this just proves it." James said passionately.

"Actually, it only proves that Black wasn't given a trial. It doesn't speak towards his innocence." Hermione spoke up, getting an annoyed look from the portrait.

"I know Sirius and he'd never murder a bunch of Muggles."

"It wasn't just Muggles. My dad said he killed a wizard too. Peter something."

"Peter Pettigrew?" Lily demanded, making Ron jump slightly before quickly nodding.

"Sounds right."

"No. Nope. Peter was one of the Marauders; Sirius would _never_ kill him, no matter what anyone claims. Something is wrong with this whole thing."

"Well figure it out, James." Lily reassured, moving into his frame so she could take his hand.

"Who're the Marauders?"

The trio spent the rest of the hour chatting with the portraits before they had to get to their next class. And while both Hermione and Ron were hurt he'd kept this from them, they didn't get angry, much to Harry's relief.

Ron was still consumed with jealousy over the trunk, but he understood Harry wanting to keep the portraits to himself, so he didn't make a big deal about it. Besides, he was more annoyed that Ginny had been the first to find out more than anything, thinking his sister was trying to steal his friend. But he wasn't willing to let Harry go, so Ginny would just have to deal.

Harry was just relieved to finally have everything out in the open; well, okay, not _everything_. He hadn't told anyone about the prophecy his parents had revealed, not wanting to think about it. And he really didn't want them to think about it either. Voldemort was still pretty powerless for now and he wanted to enjoy the school year.

Which was made harder by Draco and the rest of the Slytherins, who kept teasing him whenever they were in the same vicinity. It got so bad that he ended up punching Malfoy in the face after a particularly frustrating Potions class, his patience completely worn out by the annoying blonde. He reminded Draco of the offer he'd made and told him that he'd take it back if he didn't get his head out of his arse soon.

Draco had, of course, cried to Snape, who'd delighted in giving Harry detentions for the rest of the month and taking house points. But it'd been worth it in Harry's opinion, this strength training he'd been doing giving him more power behind his fist, resulting in the breaking of Draco's nose. Hermione had been horrified at the physical altercation while everyone else had been amused, all agreeing that they wished they could've seen it.

It's not that Harry condoned violence, far from it actually. But a person can only take so much and he'd reached his breaking point with Draco. It probably had more to do with his humiliation over losing the game and passing out from the dementors, but the Slytherin didn't help matters. Maybe now the annoying boy would think twice before insulting him again. One can dream.

The month passed in a busy, routine filled blur. Now that they might be out of the running for the Quidditch Cup, Oliver had cut the practices down to twice a week. This was good, since Harry had detention every Friday for the month, meaning he couldn't go to Dueling Club, so he used Wednesdays to review the spells with his friends. It wasn't as fun as dueling, but he learned the spells, and that's what mattered.

To everyone's delight, the weather cleared up and winter made itself known, leaving the sky a dazzling white and the muddy ground glittering with frost. The castle was abuzz with the excitement of Christmas, the students filling the air with talk about their plans and their hopes for presents. Professor Flitwick had even decorated his room with shimmering lights that were actually real, fluttering fairies. Harry wasn't sure why the creatures would want to be lighting, but it was pretty none the less.

Rona and Hermione decided to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays, wanting to keep him company, as there was only so much one could do with portraits for parents. Ginny tried to get permission to stay as well, but her mother was adamant she return home. It sucked being the youngest and only girl, as she was always being treated like a baby. The prior year didn't help with that, making Molly nearly smothering with her worry. But Ginny loved her mother and she knew how lucky she was to still have both her parents, so she just let it go and agreed to go home.

The clear weather prompted Dumbledore to allow another Hogsmeade visit on the last week of term. The article about the dementor attack had stirred up a lot of unrest and the School Board had voted to remove the dementors, making it safe for the students to venture outdoors once more. This decision was helped along by the fact that there hadn't been any sightings of Sirius Black since October, so they felt the students were safe with the patrolling Aurors. Everyone except Fudge was thrilled with the decision, as they'd all feared a fourth attack and the possibility that someone would get seriously injured or even kissed if the creatures remained.

Harry, however, wasn't excited, as he still couldn't go to Hogsmeade, and he didn't have a giant snake to keep him busy this time either. Ginny had offered to spend the day with him, but she was supposed to be hanging with Colin and Luna before the break, so he said he'd be fine. He put on his best smile and bid Ron and Hermione goodbye before starting back towards the grand staircase, figuring he'd do schoolwork or something to stay busy.

"Psst—Harry." He turned at the whisper, spying Fred and George standing at the door to an unused classroom.

"What are you doing? Shouldn't you be in Hogsmeade?" Harry asked inquisitively.

"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go." Fred replied with a mysterious smirk. Harry followed the brothers into the room, his curiosity piqued.

"Early Christmas present for you, Harry." George said, beaming at the younger teen. Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very work piece of parchment with nothing written on it.

"You're giving me a bit of old parchment?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"A bit of old parchment! This, Harry, is the secret to our success!" Fred said, scandalized. Harry just gave them a confused look.

"This little beauty has taught us more than all the teachers in this school."

"I still don't understand."

"Dear Harrykins, this is anything but a mere piece of parchment. Watch." George instructed and pulled out his wand. He touched the wood to the paper lightly and spoke.

"_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."_

Once the last word was spoken, thin ink lines began to spread like spider's web from the point the George's wand had touched. They joined each other, crisscrossed, then fanned out to the four corners before words began to blossom across the top.

_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs_

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present_

_**The Marauder's Map**_

It was a map showing every detail of the castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing was the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in miniscule writing. Astounded_, _Harry bent over to get a better look. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his office study; Mrs. Norris was prowling the second floor; and Peeves was currently bouncing around the trophy room.

As Harry's eyes traveled up and down the familiar corridors, he noticed something else. There were a set of passageways he had never entered. And many of them seemed to lead to—

"Right into Hogsmeade." Fred said, tracing one of them with his fingers.

"There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four"—he pointed them out—"but we're sure we're the only ones who know about _these_. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but its caved in—completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. The entrance is through the one-eyed old crone's human in the third-floor corridor." Fred explained, his excitement evident.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. We owe them so much." George sighed, patting the heading of the map.

"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of law breakers."

Harry couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in his throat, a mixture of amazement and amusement filling him. He was beyond grateful to be given the map, both for the fact that it'd definitely come in handy and because it had also belonged to his dad. He'd never grow tired of finding things that used to be his parents', feeling closer to them with every discovery.

"What's so funny? We're trying to be serious here."

"Sorry. It's just…I know who the Marauders were." Harry explained, receiving identical looks of shock in reply.

"Really? How'd you find out? We've never been able to." Fred pressed eagerly.

"Because my dad was Prongs. He left me a book they'd written in my Holdings vault."

"Your…your _dad_ was Prongs?" George asked in disbelief.

"Yeah." He nodded, amused at the awestruck looks on their faces.

"You wanna know who Moony is?" The raven haired boy asked in a whisper, making them lean in closer.

"Tell us!"

"Please!"

"Remus Lupin." That was met with silence before the two erupted into loud exclamations, amazed that their DADA professor was also one of their idols.

"Who're the other two?"

"Peter Pettigrew and…Sirius Black." That caused even more excited chatter, the twins talking over themselves at leaning the criminal was one of the Marauders. Harry let them go for a few minutes before he cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Does the map just clear after a while?" He asked, nodding to the still present ink.

"Oh sorry. No, you have to wipe it." George said.

"Just tap it again and say 'Mischief managed. And it'll go blanks."

"Thanks! I'm gonna go grab my coat."

"See you in Honeydukes." George replied with a wink before the two ducked out of the room, their conversation quickly turning back towards the revelations they'd just learned. Harry was sure they'd want more information, but he was happy to let them go so he could go to Hogsmeade.

Harry only hesitated a moment before he dashed out of the classroom and took off up the stairs, his body humming with excitement at the possibility of actually going to Hogsmeade. He'd been so jealous of his friends getting to go while he was stuck at the castle; but, now he could finally experience the magical town for himself and he didn't want to waste a minute of it.

He came up short once he reached the specified stature, not knowing how to access the passageway since the twins hadn't revealed that secret. Looking around to make sure the hallway was clear, Harry pulled out the map and activated it, hoping it'd give a clue.

To his astonishment, a new ink figure had appeared on the parchment, the label reading _Harry Potter_. The tiny form was positioned exactly where he actually stood, giving credence to the item's credibility. What was strange was that his little ink-self appeared to be tapping the witch with his tiny wand. Harry copied the gesture, but nothing happened.

He was about to give up in frustration when he saw a speech bubble had appeared next to the figure that had _"Dissendium"_ written inside it. Willing to give it a shot, Harry glanced around once more before quietly whispering the given word while tapping the crone with his wand.

The young wizard jumped a little when the statue's hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person. Harry took a breath before hoisting himself into the hole and pushing himself forward.

/*/

It took ages to reach the trapdoor in the cellar of Honeydukes and he was hot and sweaty by the end of it. It took some well-timed and quick maneuvering for him to get out of the cellar and onto the sales floor, but it was worth it when he got his first look at the store.

There was candy everywhere; Dudley would've been in absolute heaven. He'd never been in a Muggle sweets shop, but it was hard to imagine any could compare with this; there were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking candy imaginable. From Every Flavor Beans (and they mean _every_ flavor) to tiny black Pepper Imps ("breathe fire for your friends") and fragile sugar-spun quills.

Moving through the crowded store, Harry spotted Ron's bright hair and moved closed. His two friends were standing underneath a sign that read "Unusual Tastes", examining a tray of blood-flavored lollipops.

"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those. They're for vampires, I expect." Hermione said, shaking her head at the sucker Ron was holding.

"How about these?" He exchanged the lollipop for a jar of Cockroach Clusters.

"Definitely not." Harry said, not even wanting to know why these were the candies they were looking at. And for _him_ no less.

"_Harry!_" Hermione squealed in surprise while Ron jumped nearly a foot in the air, almost dropping the jar in the process.

"What are you doing here? How—how did you—"

"Wow! You've learned to Apparate!" Ron exclaimed, looking very impressed.

"'Course I haven't." Harry shook his head before telling them about the gift the twins had bequeathed to him, keeping his voice low so no one would over hear.

"How come Fred and George never gave it to _me_? I'm their brother!" Ron said angrily, not understanding why they'd have kept something like that from him. He wasn't Percy for Merlin's sake.

"But Harry isn't going to keep it! He's going to hand it over to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"

"Are you crazy? This was my dad's!"

"How could he hand in something this good?" Ron goggled at Hermione, thinking all the studying had finally made her go barmy.

"But what about Sirius Black? I know your parents think he's innocent, but what if he's not? He'd know about the map and the secret passageways! What if he uses one of them to get into the castle? The teachers have to know!"

Harry paused at that, not having even thought about that. He'd begun to believe his parents were right and that Black was innocent, but there was always the possibility that he wasn't. He could be the deranged criminal the papers painted him as. Maybe he should hand it over, just in case.

"Nah. If Black was gonna come into the castle, he would've by now, especially since no one would've known. And obviously Dumbledore doesn't think we're in danger any more since the dementors are gone." Ron said, sounding sure. Harry shared a look with him before he nodded.

"Ron's right. If Black really was after me, he could've gotten to me since term started. And there haven't been any sightings for months. I think we're fine."

"Yes, but—but—" Hermione floundered for a second.

"Look, even if that's true, Harry shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade. He hasn't got a signed form! If anyone finds out, he'll be in so much trouble!"

"Come on, Hermione, its Christmas. Harry deserves a break."

"And the map was my dad's." Harry added, looking pleadingly at her. His eyes were so bright and green that it was hard to not just give in immediately.

"Are you gonna report me?" He asked, grinning when he saw her begin to waver.

"Oh—of course not—but honestly, Harry—"

"Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, Harry? And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those when I was seven—it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember mom walloping him with her broomstick." Ron chatted as he pulled harry through the crowd.

Hermione sighed heavily, knowing there wasn't anything she could do, as the two boys were ridiculously stubborn. Even though she was still worried about Black and the possibilities of the Marauder's map, she knew she'd never turn Harry in. All she could do was hope they didn't end up regretting this.

Luckily Harry had already used carrier owls to order his Christmas presents, so he was able to just enjoy the day without having to worry about shopping. It was also good, as he didn't have any money on him, as he hadn't gone back to the tower before leaving the castle. This also meant he only had the light jumper he'd been wearing and was freezing by the time Ron suggested they go to the Three Broomsticks.

Once they were sufficiently warmed by tankards of butterbeer and the guys got to ogle Madam Rosmerta, they headed back out to the village, which looked like a Christmas card. It was charming; the little thatched cottages and shops were covered in a layer of crisp snow and there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees. Harry felt more festive by just being there.

They visited Zonko's, where Ron bought some items he hoped to be able to use as revenge on the twins, and then the Shrieking Shack (it was rumored to be haunted) before Harry had to sneak back into Honeydukes. The sun was beginning to set and he didn't want the students to return for dinner before him, as that'd raise questions. And he needed to tell Ginny and his parents about his new acquisition.

He really hoped his dad was right about Sirius, because he really didn't want to give the Marauder's map up.

/*/

Harry waited until his roommates were asleep before he pulled the map out and shut his curtains, wanting to get more familiar with it. The thing really was a work of genius and must've taken an outrageous amount of time, skill, and raw power to create it' especially since it still worked after almost two decades. He wondered if he and his friends would ever be able to create something so amazing.

It was easier to see the entire castle this time, as most of the students were separated into four clusters, giving him the locations of dormitories. He spotted a couple of Hufflepuffs locked in a broom closet and the twins in the Great Hall, most likely getting up to no good. Filch and Mrs. Norris were on the fifth floor, in the complete opposite direction of the troublemakers, for which he was sure Fred and George were grateful, since they didn't have the map anymore. Harry made a mental note to be on guard tomorrow morning, not putting it past the two to prank their own house as a holiday goodbye.

Glancing towards the Gryffindor tower, the teen nearly fell off his bed when the jumble of names revealed two labels that shouldn't be there. Holding his lit wand closer to the parchment, Harry rubbed at his eyes before looking again, thinking he hadn't seen right. But when he glanced down again, the two names were still there, mingled with those of the third year boys.

"_Sirius Black" _and _"Peter Pettigrew"_ stared up at him in black ink, as if mocking him.

_This has to be wrong. The map must actually be losing its potency, because there was no way this was right. Ron had said Pettigrew was killed by Sirius. And even if Sirius wasn't the one to kill him, there was no way he was still alive, not when so many people had seen him die. _

Harry quietly got out of bed, his wand held tightly in his hand, his mind going through the defensive spells he'd learned in Dueling Club. He didn't think the map was correct, but he didn't want to risk it if Sirius Black was actually inside the dorm. If Black was in the tower he didn't want to give the many any opportunity to do anything, especially if he actually was a murderer.

Harry silently searched the room, being careful not to wake any of the guys. He even did a quick scan in their trunks, not wanting to leave anything unturned. But the criminal was nowhere to be found, making the young wizard certain the map really was faulty.

Going back to his bed, Harry wiped the parchment and stored it in his trunk, figuring he'd talk to his parents about it in the morning. He extinguished his wand and pulled his curtains closed, falling asleep quickly.

/*/

The students were leaving for the holidays the next morning after breakfast, the castle quickly emptying. The twins had set off half a dozen dungbombs in the Great Hall, effectively clearing it out and getting most of the student body out in the entrance courtyard, exchanging goodbyes and well wishes with their friends.

Ginny was sad she had to leave, but she was glad Rona and Hermione would be there for Harry, so hopefully he would stay in high spirits. She promised to keep up her exercises while on break, not wanting to lose the routine they'd set up. Harry agreed it was a good idea and promised to keep it up too.

Once the carriages disappeared the trio decided to visit with Hagrid, as they hadn't seen him outside of his of class in a while. And the half-giant was always happy to get visitors, so they thought it was a good idea. It was Christmas, after all, and their visit was long overdue.

They found the large man returning from the forest, an empty sack in his hands and Fang was trotting happily next to him. Hagrid beamed and let out a booming greeting when he spotted the three teenagers.

"Yeh've come ter visit me? Yeh just missed feedin' time wit the hippogriffs!" Hagrid indicated the sack, which had several red splotches on it, indicating it'd been used to haul the "food".

"Ah—uh—that's alright Hagrid. Maybe next time." Harry said after sharing a look with his friends, all of them grateful they'd missed the event. Watching dangerous creatures chow down on raw meat wasn't their idea of a good time.

"Come inside. I've got a batch o' cakes fer yeh." The students followed him inside, taking seats as Fang scampered over to a corner, a large, still bloody bone waiting for him.

"How have you been Hagrid? I know we haven't been down recently, but—" Hagrid waved his hand at Hermione as he filled the kettle and sat it on the stove.

"Yeh've been busy. I rem'ber how school was. An' its break now, so yeh can relax and have some fun."

"Speaking of school, I noticed the flubberworms aren't outside anymore. Did something happen?"

"They died. Too much lettuce.'

"Oh no!" Ron said, unable to stop his lips from twitching delighted at the news.

"So we'll be moving onto something else next term, right? I've read through the _Monster Books of Monsters_ and there are a lot of very interesting creatures discussed." Hermione commented, taking the mug Hagrid offered with a smile.

"Well…af'er what hap'ed with Buckbeak, I don' know if it's a good idea." Hagrid shrugged, his tone sad and resigned.

"Hagrid, we all know what happened was an accident. You warned everyone and Malfoy didn't listen." Ron said.

"Yeah. And I'd really like to see the creatures you had planned to teach as about." Harry added.

"Yeh—yeh really think it'd be alright?" He asked, his face hopeful.

"We do." Hermione answered for them with a firm nod, the boys copying her.

"I'll have ter speak wit Dumbledore."

"Great! I think he'll say its fine, since he did hire you for the position in the first place, already knowing your penchant for—_interesting_ animals." The bushy haired girl gave the half-giant a reassuring smile, even if there was a small part of her that questioned if they'd just made a mistake. After Fluffy, Norbert and Buckbeak, there was no telling what Hagrid would come up with. But she wanted him to be happy; and, truthfully, she hated taking care of flubberworms and wanted something more exciting to study.

"Like what are the winged horses that pull the carriages? They're a little…unusual. Especially since only me and Neville can see them." Harry spoke up, subtly pushing the hard cake away, not wanting to hurt their host's feelings but also not wanting to break his teeth.

"Yeh can see 'em, Harry?" Hagrid asked in surprise.

"Uh, yeah." The large man shifted in his chair, making the teens share a look of worry, as the groundskeeper seemed hesitant to answer. The animals couldn't be that bad, could they?

"They're called Thestrals." The three just gave confused looks, as the animals hadn't been mentioned in their book.

"I didn' plan ter cover them 'till fifth year or later, but they're 'mazin' creatures. Smart an' clever an' they have great senses o' direction, jus' take em' where yeh want ter go an' they'll take yeh there. Hogwarts has got a whole herd of 'em in the forest."

"Why can I see them and others can't?" Harry questioned, watching as Hagrid's face fell a little.

"Only people who've seen death can see 'em. I guess yeh saw yeh ma—" Hagrid's voice died out, his huge hands twisting in his lap anxiously. Harry's gut clenched tightly at the revelation.

"I saw my mother die." He muttered quietly, eyes unfocused. Hermione gripped his hand tightly.

"I'm sorry Harry. I didn' mean—"

"No, uh, it's fine. I don't remember, thankfully." The raven haired boy shook his head, trying to get past the morbid turn the conversation had taken. Though it really explained why the dementors affected him so much.

"So what type of creatures do you plan to teach next term?" Hermione asked, changing the subject.

They visited with Hagrid for a little while longer before they returned to Gryffindor Tower. Harry grabbed the Marauder's map and then opened the trunk so they could go down, as he wanted to talk to his parents about the glitch in the item. He would've preferred to spend some time alone with them, but he still felt guilty about keeping the trunk and portraits a secret, so he felt like he needed to include them.

"Harry what's wrong?" Lily asked the moment she saw him, his shoulders slumped a little and a somber air about him. Harry shrugged, really not wanting to talk or even think about why he could see Thestrals.

"It's nothing. We actually came to talk to you about the Marauder's map." He said, holding up the blank parchment. His dad let out an excited sound, leaning so far forward in his frame he threatened to topple out.

"You found it! That, son, is the compilation of all the Marauders' skills and our most brilliant creation." James grinned wide, completely thrilled his son had the map.

"Actually, Ron's brothers had it. You remember I told you about the twins."

"Ah, good men, carrying on our noble cause to create mischief."

"I think you mean mayhem." Lily said, getting a shrug and smirk from her husband, who was completely unrepentant.

"It really is a most ingenious creation. I'd love to know how you managed to make it." Hermione sat on one of the chairs in front of the fireplace, her entire focus on the paintings. She was always looking for more to learn and this was definitely something she'd like to research. Just the number of spells that had to have been used was astounding.

"Uh, actually, that's why we're here. The map is faulty or something. I was wondering if we could fix it." Harry said before either parent could get started, activating the map and spreading it out.

"That's not possible. The map is never wrong." James refuted, offended they'd even suggest such a possibility.

"Why would you think it's not working properly?" Lily questioned, ignoring the man-child that was James Potter.

"I was looking over it last night to get familiar with it and it showed two names that shouldn't have been on it. I even searched the entire dorm, but I didn't find anything."

"What were the names?"

"Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black." His words were met with silence, the news shocking. Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, unhappy the information hadn't been given to a professor, even if she had to agree that there had to be a glitch.

"You—you saw Peter's name? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Look, it's still there, in the third year boy's dormitory, along with Black's." Harry answered, holding the map up so the portraits could see. Ron came over and helped him, the two lifting the large parchment up closer so they could see clearer.

James and Lily examined the two name tags before they looked at each other. It was clear they were having a silent conversation, the years they'd spent together in the vault showing, as they didn't even need to speak to understand each other.

"If the map shows they're there, then they are, as unbelievable as it seems." The redhead said finally, turning back to address the teens.

"How's that possible? My dad said all that was left of Pettigrew was his finger." Ron commented, looking utterly confused.

"Then they were wrong. Wormtail is obviously alive. And he and Padfoot are lurking somewhere. I knew there had to be more to this." James said with relief, knowing his brother would've never killed one of their friends. Snape, maybe, but not a Marauder.

"If Pettigrew is alive, then where is he? I looked through the whole dorm and I didn't find anyone." Harry said, confused. This was not turning out how he thought it would.

_Could Peter Pettigrew truly be alive? If he is, why was Sirius blamed for his murder? Did they both actually work for Voldemort and had both betrayed his parents._

He had so many questions.

They could be in their animagi forms, especially if they're in hiding." Lily relied softly.

"Animagus? Black and Pettigrew are animagi?" Hermione perked up, this information new to her.

"Yes, we all were, to help—yes, they're animagi. Padfoot is a large black dog and Wormtailis a rat." James said, nearly slipping about Remus. He didn't know if Harry had told them or not and he didn't want to reveal his old friends secret.

"I completely forgot about that."

"They wrote a book on how to become an animagus? How cool would that be if we could learn?" Ron asked excitedly.

"Hello! I think you're missing the picture." Hermione said loudly, trying to grab their wandering attentions. The two guys turned to look at her.

"What?"

"Black and Pettigrew are animagi! A black dog and a rat! And they're in your dorm room on the map! Am I the only one who sees it?" She asked in frustration, throwing her hands up.

"Snuffles." Harry said after a moment, his eyes widening.

"Wait, what? You think your dog is _Sirius Black_? And what, Scabbers is Peter Pettigrew?" Ron scoffed.

"You have a dog? Where do you keep it?" James asked in surprise.

"If this Snuffles is Sirius, we'll know it; the same with Peter. Can you bring the animals down here?" Lily asked, turning the conversation back to what was important.

"You can't be serious! Scabbers is not a wizard; he's a rat!" Ron shook his head.

"It would explain why Pettigrew's name is on the Marauder's map. And wasn't Scabbers Percy's old pet?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Rats do not tend to live more than 3 years, Ron. He's been in your family a lot longer than that." Hermione reasoned, making the red head scoff again and cross his arms over his chest.

"Why don't we see if Snuffles is really Black before we go get Scabbers?" Harry said, not wanting Ron to get even more upset.

"Yes, that sounds reasonable." The brunette nodded and Ron just shrugged. Harry took that as his cue and left the office, hurrying quickly to the outdoor room, where Snuffles greeted him with happy licks.

"Come on." He motioned for the dog to follow him back out, unnerved that the pooch might actually be a man. He could even be a wanted murderer. It was a little creepy.

Snuffles followed the teen through the hallway, his head swinging back and forth as he got glimpses of different rooms, amazed at what Harry had been able to get something this nice. He didn't know how a thirteen year old would've known how to get a trunk of this magnitude, but he was impressed.

Harry held the door open so the dog could walk into the office, locking it behind him and pulling out his wand. Hermione and Ron were already armed as well, backing away slowly from Snuffles as he came around the corner.

"Oh, yeah, that's definitely Padfoot." James said when he saw him. Snuffles's head's jerked up at the voice, his mouth dropping open in shock before his body began to contort. The teens all jumped back as the animal turned into a man with a snap.

A mass of filthy, mattered hair hung to his elbows. It eyes hadn't been shinning out of deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.

"Bloody hell!" Ron croaked in shock, wand held shakily in front of him.

"James! Lily! I—I—" His eyes turned to look at Harry, taking a staggering step towards the boy.

"Hey! If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" Ron shouted, diving in front of Harry to stop the criminal from reaching him. Hermione hurried over until they were all standing together, a united front.

"I would never hurt Harry!" Sirius denied with a shake of his head, turning to look back up at the portraits.

"Padfoot, what's going on? Why were you sent to Azkaban?" James questioned. Black paced away before turning back, his boney arms wrapping around his stomach.

"They say you killed Peter, Sirius. What's going on?" Lily's voice was soft and soothing.

"I didn't—I should have. I tried."

"Why?"

"I convinced you—I convinced Lily and James to change secret-keepers to Peter when they went into hiding." Sirius said, his eyes going to Harry instead of the portraits, as it was hard to look at them.

"What's a secret-keeper?" Harry asked.

"If the Fidelius Charm was used to hide your parents' location, they would've entrusted the secret to only one person, the secret-keeper, making it impossible for anyone to find them unless the secret-keeper chooses to divulge it." Hermione provided.

"The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed and their bodies…I realized what Peter must've done…what' I'd done…I killed them." Sirius's voice broke.

"Peter…Peter sold us out to Voldemort?" James demanded, outraged.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Hermione questioned, wand never lowering.

"Why do you think I broke out of Azkaban? I saw the picture of Peter and had to find him. I have to kill him." Sirius said furiously.

"Whoa, whoa, let's just calm down. Are you certain, Sirius, that Peter betrayed us?" Lily took control of the conversation, pulling them back and focusing.

"He's the only one that knew your location, Lils."

"What about all the Muggles you killed?"

"I chased him down after I gave you to Hagrid, and when I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself—and sped down into the sewer with the other rats."

"And the largest part of Peter that was found was his finger." Harry provided, making Sirius's eyes grow hopeful.

"Er—Mr. Black—Sirius?" Hermione said. Black jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her.

"If you don't mind me asking, how—how did you get out of Azkaban? No one's ever done it before."

"I don't know how I did it. I think the only reason I never lost my minds is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me…but it kept me sane and knowing who I am…helped me keep my powers….so when it all became…too much….I could transform in my cell…become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…" He swallowed thickly, just the thought of the demons enough to make him shudder.

"They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions…they could tell that my feelings were less—less human, less complex when I was a dog…but the thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand…

"But then I saw Peter in that picture…I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry…perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his hears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies…and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honors…" Sirius shook his head.

"What picture are you talking about?"

"This one." Sirius pulled out a very crumpled and faded newspaper clipping. Harry took it hesitantly, smoothing it out to reveal the picture that'd been taken of the Weasley in Egypt because Arthur had won that money. And sitting perched up on Ron's shoulder was a much healthier Scabbers.

"How d'you know it's Peter and not just a normal rat?" Harry asked as Ron snatched at the clipping.

"He's missing a toe, just like Peter." Sirius answered.

"He could've lost it fighting another rat! We don't know if Scabbers is really anything but a rat." Ron protested, still not wanting to believe his pet could really be a wizard, one who'd apparently betrayed his best friend's parents that led to their murder.

"Ron…I know it's hard to believe, and if I hadn't been here, I wouldn't. But…it's possible." Hermione said quietly, squeezing his arm. The red head sighed heavily, his head dropping.

"What do we do?"

"I kill him."

"No, you won't, Sirius. We need to prove your innocence so you can get your life back. So you can be Harry's godfather." Lily said firmly, glaring at him, arms crossed over her chest. Sirius scowled, but as the painted woman just kept staring at him, he sighed and his shoulders slumped.

"Fine."

"We can't just rush into this, as I'm sure you'd all like to. If Peter escapes before Sirius's name is cleared than he'll never be cleared of the charges."

"Lily is right. I want you to be free, Padfoot, so that you can there for Harry. I can't believe Peter would betray us, but I know for certain you never would." James leaned forward in his frame, wishing he was more than just paint and memories.

"So how are we going to do this? It's not like I can just waltz into the Ministry and proclaim my innocence."

"No. But we can figure something out. You never received a trial, which deprived you of one of your basic rights as a citizen of the British Wizarding Community. We should be able to fix this somehow." Hermione said, trying to look hopeful.

"We need someone in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to hear us out. And we need to keep Peter locked away before he can escape."

"What about Amelia Bones? She's the one who wrote me about the trial and she said she'd look into it. She's also the head of the department." Harry provided, glancing between Sirius and the portraits, still unnerved by this whole thing. He'd come down here to see about the map malfunctioning and now Sirius Black was standing in front of him, proclaiming his innocence. And he believed him.

"Good. You can transfigure something into a cage and spell it to keep Peter from getting out. And speak to Dumbledore when you contact Bones; Sirius will stay in the trunk and you should keep Peter hidden. I'd say lock him in here too, but I don't want to Sirius to give in to his rage and kill him."

"We haven't reached that type of transfiguration yet." Hermione commented.

"I can do it." The teens all looked at Sirius, who just shrugged at the expressions they wore.

"I'd only need the wand for a minute." Harry glanced at his friends hesitantly before slowly stepping forward, handing his wand over to his godfather. Sirius looked around the room before going to the desk and grabbing a paperweight. The teens watched as he waved the wand and muttered something quietly, a shiny silver cage taking shape. He then spelled it to keep it locked before turning and handing it to Ron.

"It'll stay locked once you close the door. You can feed him through the slot." He explained, handing Harry back his wand.

"Alright, well…this has all been very strange." Hermione muttered, her eyes flicking from the cage up to the man standing only a few feet from her, a man wanted for murder. A man, who if they believed him, had been wrongfully imprisoned and spent the last twelve years in absolute hell because someone he trusted, someone Harry's parents had trusted, had betrayed them all. She really hadn't seen her night turning out this way.

"I know this is all serious and everything, but are we gonna go get dinner soon? 'Cause I'm starving." Ron mumbled, hand rubbing at his stomach, which had started gurgling.

"Please, you've already done so much just listening to me, I don't want you to starve." Sirius said, lips twitching into a smirk, the first true expression they'd seen since he'd transformed.

"Okay. Right. Uh—I guess you can stay in one of the guest rooms, use the shower. The food's in the outside icebox, but I can bring some more after dinner."

"You—uh—you can have some of my clothes, if you want. I mean, you're taller than Harry, so his won't fit." Ron said, rubbing at his neck uncomfortably.

"Thank you Ron. Thank you all for believing me." Sirius smiled, the action strained and foreign. He hadn't had anything to smile for in the last twelve years.

"I'll drop the clothes and food off before bed." Harry said, not sure what more to do. They couldn't just rush out and announce Sirius's innocence, but it was also a little strange to just leave after all this. But he was hungry too.

"Goodnight." The man nodded, giving them the out they needed to leave.

The trio left after that, Ron snagging Scabbers before he could scurry away and locking him in the cage. He was still a little unsure, but he didn't want to be the reason the real murderer went free while an innocent man went back to prison; or at least had to live on the run for the rest of his life.

Somehow they'd get the truth out and hopefully Sirius would be free and Harry would have someone flesh and blood to be there for him.

**AN: Okay, so I don't know where this chapter came from or when the next update will be, but I hope you all enjoyed this. Thanks for reading. Sorry for any mistakes.**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Hey guys, so I hope you're having a good summer; or winter if you're in the lower hemisphere. I hope you like this chapter and will review. Thanks for reading!**

SeanHicks4: Thanks for reading and enjoying the last chapter. I hope you like this one as well.

Scrappy8: Thanks for reading!

Guest: I'm so glad you like my story. Sorry it's taking so long to write. My life's been anything but smooth sailing lately, so I apologize in advance for the long wait between chapters. I hope you like this chapter!

Vicky: Thanks so much. I'm thrilled you like the story so far. I'm hoping you like this chapter as well. Thanks for reading!

Jayan Phoenix: Sorry you don't like the trunk. I know it's a little over done, I'll admit that. But I took the idea from the magical tents they had at the Quidditch World Cup and just ran with it. I love the idea that in the Harry Potter universe, unlike Charmed or something like that, more things are possible because of magic. And the trunk was important for this story as it allowed a place for Sirius to hide, so I'm okay with you not liking it. You can't please everyone, and I've accepted that. As for the portraits, they're not taking the place of real people. If you remember, when he first got them, he didn't really have any adults to look up to besides the Weasleys and his professors; now he has Sirius and Remus as well. So he'll be forming closer bonds with them in the future.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Harry Potter. There is text borrowed from the book.**

Chapter 11: Winter Holidays

Ginny sighed quietly as she closed her door, having just arrived from the train station and already worn out. She loved her mother dearly, but the woman could drive a saint bonkers with her hovering; and it'd only been a little over an hour! The girl understood that the last time Molly had seen her she'd been sickly thin and haunted, but she was loads better now, so she hoped her mum would realize she was better, quickly.

Obviously there were the odd nightmares or whispered insults from the Slytherins, but she was really in a good place, both mentally and physically. Her new friendship with the trio had done wonders for her healing process, even when Ron was being a prat. Ginny wasn't sure if she'd ever completely get over what happened, but she was finally happy again; she was no longer weighed down with guilt and fear.

There was little doubt her first year had changed her, but the 12 year old was determined to make those changes into strengths, not weaknesses. She wasn't shy anymore and she wasn't afraid to speak her mind or stand up for herself; she'd cursed the last group of girls that'd insulted her and hadn't felt ashamed. Ginny Weasley was her own person and she wasn't going to let anyone forget just how strong she was. Especially not her mother.

The redhead opened her trunk and pulled out her notebook and the Charms text Harry'd loaned her. She wasn't the bookworm Hermione was, but she was competitive and ambitious; she wanted to reach their level so she wasn't left out. Okay, yes, she had her own friends in 2nd year, but that didn't mean she'd pass up the opportunity to get a jumpstart. And if she impressed Harry, then that was just a bonus.

As if conjured merely by her thoughts, the notebook warmed in her hand. Flipping it open, Ginny found a message from Harry.

_Ginny! When you've got time, I've got loads to tell you. You won't believe what just happened! - Harry_

Grinning, the girl sat the Charms book aside and got comfy on her bed. When she was situated, Ginny grabbed the pen she kept in the notebook and started writing.

_Hmm…Filch declared his undying love for Snape…no wait! For his cat! I've always wondered why it's Mrs. Norris and not simply Ms. - Ginny_

_What? No. Though that would be funny. And gross. I showed Ron and Hermione the trunk and my parents! - Harry_

_Wow! How'd they take it? If Ron threw a fit, you have my permission to hit him. Hard. - Ginny_

_Ha, I'll keep that in mind. But he was pretty good about it, actually. So was Hermione. - Harry_

_Good. They have no right to be angry. - Ginny_

_Yeah. But that's not the crazy thing. - Harry_

_Well don't leave me in suspense, it's not polite. - Ginny_

_Peter Pettigrew is still alive! - Harry_

_WHAT? - Ginny_

_Yeah, that was our reaction too. It gets better. Sirius Black is innocent. Pettigrew betrayed my parents and then blamed Black before blowing up the street and killing all those people. - Harry_

_Wait…what? How do you know this? I thought your parents didn't know anything about _that_ night. - Ginny_

_They don't. Sirius told us. - Harry_

…

_Ginny? - Harry_

_You spoke to a wanted criminal? Are you out of your mind? What if he'd tried to kill you? How'd he find you? Did he use the secret tunnels? What about Pettigrew? How'd you find out he was alive? - Ginny_

_It's crazy, like I said. I forgot that my dad and his friends were all unregistered animagi. You'll never guess what animals Black and Pettigrew are. - Harry_

_Harry, if you don't just spit it out, I'm gonna Bat-Boogey you the next time I see you! - Ginny_

_Okay, okay, take all the fun out of it. Pettigrew is a rat. One with a missing toe. - Harry_

_I guess if he sold out to the Dark Lord then his form suits him. Wait…doesn't Ron's rat have a missing toe? - Ginny_

_Yes. - Harry_

_What? You're trying to say Scabbers is really Peter Pettigrew? Harry…- Ginny_

_No, it's true, I swear! Ron didn't want to believe it either, but his name was on the Marauder's map and Sirius confirmed it. - Harry_

_Say I believe you, why'd he stay with us for so long? I mean, I'd hate living as a rat. - Ginny_

_I don't know. Maybe to make sure he was never discovered. There's no telling. - Harry_

_And what about Black? You still haven't told me how you even got anywhere near him. - Ginny_

_Ah, see, that's the really funny thing. The two ended up being in the tower without anyone even knowing. - Harry_

_I get Pettigrew, but how'd Black do it. Is he also a rat? Or maybe a snake or something that can easily hide? - Ginny_

_Nope. He's very noticeable, actually. He's a giant, black shaggy dog. - Harry_

Ginny fell off her bed with a loud thump, as she'd been leaning forward to write too far and had toppled over. Rubbing at her side, she snatched the notebook closer and scribbled quickly.

_Now you're really just pulling my leg, right? - Ginny_

_Nope! Snuffles is in fact Sirius Black and has been in my trunk for the last two months. - Harry_

_This is crazy! You know how crazy this all sounds, right? - Ginny_

_Ha, if you think this is bad, you should've been there. I nearly jumped outta my skin when he transformed. - Harry_

_Oh wow. Okay…so you believe his story? - Ginny_

_Well, Pettigrew is alive and, like you said, has been hiding as a rat for the last 12 years, so that definitely makes Sirius's story more believable. We've locked Pettigrew in a cage so he can't escape while we try and come up with a plan. - Harry_

"Ginny! Supper!" Molly's voice echoed up to the second floor where her room was.

_I've got to go to supper. But I want to know what's going on. Chat later? - Ginny_

_Sure. If I delay any longer Ron might start chewing on my arm. We'll all get on after dinner and come up with a plan. - Harry_

_Great. Bye. - Ginny_

_Bye. - Harry_

Ginny shut the notebook with a snap, scurrying up and out of her room, not wanting her mum to call a second time.

Molly watched her only daughter closely throughout dinner, trying to see if she truly was better or if she was just putting on an act. The summer had been…difficult, to say the least, and the mother just wanted Ginny to be healing and happy, not plagued by demons a child should ever have to face.

The day Minerva had flooed them with news that Ginny was missing had been the scariest day for both Arthur and Molly. To receive news that your child was gone was absolutely terrifying, especially when there was nothing you could do to help find them. Molly never wanted to feel that horrid emotion ever again; she would never recover is something happened to her children.

Thank goodness for Ron and his friends, as without them, she knew she'd never have seen her baby again. Molly got on Ron's case about getting into messes, but she was so thankful this one time that his little group always seemed to find trouble. They were the only ones that figured out where the _Chamber of Secrets_ was and Ron and Harry had put themselves in danger to save little Ginny.

That night she'd been so elated and thankful to have her daughter returned to her that she hadn't even really cared about what'd happened down there. All that'd mattered was that her baby was saved; everything else wasn't important. On how wrong she'd been.

The first night the children had returned home had made that perfectly clear, as they'd all been woken by Ginny's screams. The small girl had been absolutely terrified, locked in her own head and unable to get free. Molly'll never forget the sight of her baby thrashing on the bed, screaming for help until her voice was horse and her cheeks were wet with tears. Once Arthur'd managed to wake her, she'd sobbed against his chest for almost twenty minutes, repeating how sorry she was. It broke her parents' hearts.

Things didn't get easier; in fact, they seemed to get worse as the summer passed. They even had to put a silencing charm on Ginny's room so they could actually sleep, but that didn't help much. The entire family was exhausted and worn down by the time the trip to Egypt came around.

And if Molly'd hoped the time away in a new and exciting place and the presence of Bill would help, she was wrong. Nothing was working; Ginny refused to talk about her first year and she'd dropped weight drastically, turning into just a shell of the lively girl they all loved. She didn't laugh anymore or join in the twins' pranks; she just sat in silence, nearly disappearing all together.

The day they arrived in Diagon Alley was the first time that whole summer any of them had seen a smile on Ginny's face. Whatever Harry had said to her had sparked life back into her, bringing a little of the daughter Molly remembered back to the surface. The mother didn't know if it was because of the crush she'd had on the boy or if it was something else, but she was grateful whatever it was that brought out that light.

And now she got to actually see the progress Ginny'd made that the boys had only hinted at. Well, Ron had written only a few times to complain about her spending time with his friends, but the others had all mentioned the she was doing better. Molly hadn't been sure if she should believe them or not, but it appeared they'd spoken truth, much to her utter relief. The friendship Ginny'd made with the trio had done wonders for the 12 year old.

The youngest Weasley was distracted during the meal, getting elbowed in the side from Fred when she didn't respond to something he'd said. Her mind was preoccupied with the bombshells Harry'd unloaded on her though, so she'd just nodded and gone back to her plate, trying to come up with a plan to free Harry's godfather. She wasn't so distracted to not notice the looks her mum kept sending her however, but she ignored them as she ate, not really wanting to get her mother going.

Once dessert was done and the dishes had been cleared, Ginny headed upstairs to finish unpacking. Molly waited until she heard the door shut before rounding on the three boys.

"Tell me, is Ginny truly better?"

"She does seem in high spirits, if a bit unfocused." Arthur said, glad she was doing better. He'd been worried, but he'd known if anyone could survive what she did and grow from it, it'd be Ginny.

"Yes mother, Ginny is dong remarkably well, given what the summer holidays were like. She's doing well in her classes and even seems to be doing extra studying." Percy replied, getting eye rolls from the twins.

"More importantly, I saw her prank this nasty Slytherin last week. It was hilarious." George nodded in agreement.

"Yep. Turned the girl's hair slime green; it wouldn't wash out for days." Molly opened her moth before slowly closing it, breathing through her initial anger at any of her children doing something like that. While she'd never condone pranking or getting in trouble, this was a good sign that Ginny was getting back to herself.

"And the other students? Are they giving her a hard time?" Neither parent missed the looks the bothers exchanged.

There had been a little bit of trouble in the beginning of the year, but it'd died down after the twins had unleashed a torrent of pranks on those they heard saying nasty things; Percy had even given a few students detention and had taken house points. The message was clear: mess with Ginny and you mess with her brothers. Well, Ron hadn't helped, but that was because he was still jealous of Ginny spending time with _his_ friends.

"We dealt with it." George muttered, earning a scowl from his mother.

"What George means is that we took appropriate measures to deter anyone from teasing Ginny." Percy spoke up, surprising his brothers, as he never tried to help them when their mother got that look in her eye. But this was about Ginny, one of the few topics they all agreed on.

"Truth be told, I expected more from Malfoy, since he's always insulting us. But, he's been rather quiet around her." Fred said to fill the silence, not wanting Molly to have time to get mad at any of them. She might be okay with Ginny pulling a prank, but that didn't transfer to them and he didn't want her to focus on it.

"Well…alright, if you're sure she's dealing with what happened—"

"Mother, she really does seem to have moved past it. I mean, I'm sure she still struggles sometimes, but from what I've seen, she's happy." Percy said firmly, wanting her to believe them.

"Good. Thank you for keeping an eye out for her." The boys all nodded before dispersing, the twins headed upstairs to do _something_ that she was sure to have to yell at them for later, and Percy sat by the fire to start on the studying he'd outlined to have completed by the end of break. It was his NEWTs year, after all, and he couldn't let any opportunity for study slip by.

Molly sat next to Arthur on the couch, the two grateful to have their children home for the holidays. They would've liked to have Bill, Charlie and Ron there, but four out of seven was nice all the same. Bill and Charlie both couldn't make it, so they'd just enjoy the children they did get, as it was getting clearer just how fast the years passed. Before they knew it, Ginny would be graduating and they'd be left all alone, probably only seeing the children periodically, especially if they moved out of the country.

It was hard, but that was the life of a parent, and they enjoyed the time they did have. This would be a good Christmas even if they weren't all together. Maybe they could go to Romania over the summer. That'd be nice.

/*/

Ginny unpacked her trunk while she waited for the others to return from dinner, her notebook lying open on her bed so she could see it as she moved around her room. There wasn't that much to unpack, as she'd only be there a couple of weeks, so she was really just fidgeting after a few minutes, just waiting. It felt like an eternity before she saw their names pop up in the 'Online' box.

_Ginny, are you there? We're all gathered in the library to avoid gaining suspicion. – Hermione_

_I still don't get why we had to come here. What's wrong with the common room? – Ron_

_I told you Ronald, it's best to be away from prying eyes. Not only are we coming up with a plan to prove Sirius Black's innocence, but we also mustn't let anyone see this feature of the notebook. – Hermione_

_You do realize that you're arguing on here when you're sitting together, right? – Ginny_

_Anyway, so I think contacting Madam Bones at the DMLE is our best option, since she's already looking into why Sirius wasn't given a trial. I think she'll give him a fair shot to prove he's not guilty. – Harry_

_You can't just hand Sirius over though. He'll be Kissed without question. – Ginny_

_No, we need to prove his innocence before we risk him coming out of hiding. I wouldn't be surprised if they threw him to the dementors instantly otherwise. – Hermione_

_Yeah, dad's mentioned how the escape and the article about the attacks have made Fudge nervous about reelection. He might try to get Sirius Kissed just to save face and be the 'hero'. – Ron_

_So whatever we do, it has to keep Sirius from going back to Azkaban or getting Kissed. – Ginny_

_I guess the first thing would be to write to Bones and see if she'd even hear us out. I mean, it does all sound a little farfetched. – Harry_

_You could request a special hearing. – Ginny_

_What do you mean? – Harry_

_I guess you haven't read any of those books about your family. There are only a few Noble families left, and you're from one of them. – Ginny_

_I still don't understand. I mean, my account manager mentioned that, but what does it have to do with freeing Sirius? – Harry_

_Mate, she's saying that you have special pull in the Ministry because you're a Potter. – Ron_

_Oh I've read about this. The Noble families are the oldest in Britain that helped set up the government. As the heir to such a family, not only will you have a seat on the Wizengamot when you come of age, but you have other responsibilities and special liberties. – Hermione_

_Meaning you can write Bones and request a hearing with an audience of your choosing to make your case. They used to use them to accuse people of wrong doing and the like. – Ginny _

_Wow, really? – Harry_

_Yep. It pays to have such an old family line. – Ron_

_Okay, good. I'll ask for a hearing with her and the Minister.– Harry_

_I would ask for more witnesses, Harry. You don't want Fudge to sweep this under the rug. – Ginny_

_She's right. Aurors should definitely be there, as well as a reporter with a camera man. The Minister can't deny any of it if it's caught on film. – Hermione_

_You mom said to bring in Dumbledore, so you could ask for the whole Wizengamot to be there. They are our highest court of law. – Ron_

_This is all a little much, don't you think? – Harry_

_No, Harry. You're trying to free Sirius of his charges, and the more people that're there to witness it, the better. – Ginny_

_You're right. I'll do anything to free him. – Harry_

_Good, so you'll write Madam Bones tomorrow about the hearing, asking for the Wizengamot, the Minister, Aurors, and at least one reporter to be present. – Hermione_

_One question. How're you gonna get the truth out? I mean, it's your word against the supposed 'evidence'. – Ginny_

_If I take Peter and they make him transform, won't that work? I mean, it's obvious he faked his own death. – Harry_

_But that doesn't make him guilty for the other murders. And he'll deny them without a doubt. – Ron_

_I know! Veritaserum can be administered in a trial to force someone to tell the truth. You can ask Madam Bones to have some on hand. – Hermione _

_Excellent! Sirius'll be free before New Year's! – Harry_

_Well, they might wait until after the holidays to schedule the hearing. – Hermione_

_But as long as you keep Peter locked away and alive, Sirius should definitely be freed. – Ginny_

_Thank you for all your help. I wouldn't have known where to even start without all of you. – Harry_

_No problem, mate. – Ron_

_Of course, Harry! – Hermione_

_You're welcome. That's what friends are for. – Ginny_

_Happy Christmas Ginny. – Harry_

_Happy Christmas Harry. – Ginny_

Ginny smiled as she closed her notebook, her chest warm. She was delighted to be an integral part of the group now, despite Ron's continued protests. She knew her brother just didn't like to share, even though Harry and Hermione weren't possessions to be owned. He'd have to get over it, because she didn't plan on going anywhere.

/*/

Amelia Bones was surprised when a snowy white owl arrived at her home, a letter tied to her claw. It was Christmas after all, so she hadn't expected any mail; and the beautiful owl wasn't one she recognized from the Ministry or any of her friends.

Interest piqued, she took the letter into her home office, not wanting to disturb Susan, who was still sleeping. She cast a few detection spells on the envelope , not wanting to be caught unawares; things had been relatively calm since the war, but you could never be too careful, as the world was full of those with ill will towards others.

The envelope and letter didn't show any signs of being cursed, so she relaxed in her chair and finally opened it, her surprise growing as she read.

_Dear Madam Bones,_

_I apologize for disturbing you during the holiday, but I've come across facts pertaining to Sirius Black and the death of Peter Pettigrew that needs to be made public knowledge. You'll understand my hesitance in revealing such information through a letter, of course, so I'm requesting a special hearing._

_I've been informed that as a Potter I have a right to ask for a trial, and I would greatly appreciate it if you could arrange for one at your earliest convenience. You're the only one in the Ministry that seems to want the truth, so I'm hoping you'll be willing to help me. I can't risk any of this evidence being brushed aside or ignored._

_If you are willing to help, I would request a hearing to be set up with an audience consisting of yourself, the Minister, Albus Dumbledore, the Wizengamot, Aurors and at least one reporter with a camera. I don't want there to be any way the information I bring forth to be refuted or misconstrued. And if you could have a vial of Veritaserum on hand, that would be even better._

_I realize this is a strange request, but I hope you'll agree to it in the search for truth. I hope to hear from you soon and have a happy Christmas and New Year._

_Sincerely, Harry James Potter_

Amelia had to read through the letter twice to make sure she'd seen correctly. This was the second letter she'd received from Mr. Potter and it was just as startling as the first one. She never would've known he was only 13 if he hadn't been so well known; as it was, she was once again intrigued by what this young man brought to light.

Her research into why Black hadn't received a proper trial hadn't gotten very far. According to everyone who would even talk about it, the war had had a bad effect on the previous Minister and he must've just over looked it. Amelia didn't buy that for a second, but with so little to go on, she was stuck. Hopefully whatever evidence Potter had would clear things up, because she really hated mysteries.

/*/

Harry left the tower early Christmas morning to deliver the letter, forgoing his morning workout. When he returned, Ron was awake and excited, nearly bouncing around the common room. Hermione was in a chair, Crookshanks curled up in her lap, eyes still heavy with sleep.

"Harry! There you are! Look, presents!" The redhead pointed to the pile he'd brought down from the dormitory.

"Did you send Madam Bones the letter?" Hermione questioned with a yawn, fingers stroking the orange cat's fur.

"Yeah. Hopefully she'll help." Harry nodded, taking a seat next to his gifts.

"She's the Head of the DMLE, she should." Ron replied as he tore into his presents enthusiastically.

"Ron's right. If anyone would want to get to the bottom of this, it'd be her. I just hope we don't have to wait too long for a reply."

"Me too." Harry nodded before grabbing one of the presents in his pile. Ron was already halfway through his, having received a new quill and ink from Percy and a questionable package from the twins that he refused to open.

"Uhg, another maroon sweater from mum. I hate maroon." Ron grumbled, holding up the knitted jumper, which clashed horribly with his bright hair.

"At least she cares enough to make one for each of her children and Harry and I; there are kids out there that'd jump at the chance to be in your place. Besides, Christmas is supposed to be about giving, not receiving." Hermione reprimanded lightly, her own Molly Weasley sweater, which was a pretty blue, sitting next to her, as Crookshanks provided enough heat to keep her warm without it.

Ron rolled his eyes at her, wondering if she could go even an hour without getting snotty over something. He really didn't understand girls; being around Ginny and Hermione didn't clear that confusion up even a little. He'd never understand them, no matter how old or experienced he got.

Harry got a scarlet sweater with the Gryffindor lion knitted on the front, as well as a dozen home-baked mince pies, some Christmas cake, and a box of nut brittle. Molly'd sent similar packages to both Ron and Hermione, meaning they wouldn't be wanting to sweets during the rest of break.

"Oh Ron, I love it!" Hermione exclaimed, completely shocked at the pretty scarf he'd gotten her. His ears turned scarlet and he blushed, fidgeting with the gift in his hands.

"Uh—I wasn't sure what you'd want." He muttered, embarrassed. But he'd been thrilled at actually having the galleons to spend that he'd wanted to get something for his friends. He'd been planning on getting her a book, since they were her favorite things, but the scarf had caught his eye in the shop window.

"Thank you." She smiled, her early reprimand forgotten.

"Yeah." He ducked his head, ears still enflamed.

"Uh—I'm not sure I'll need this now." Harry said, holding the new broom grooming kit Ron'd gotten him.

"Sorry, mate. I got it before the match."

"Won't you need a new broom? You can use the kit then." Hermione murmured.

"Yeah, I guess I will." The raven haired boy sighed, not liking even thinking about what'd happened to his poor _Nimbus 2000_.

The trio finished opening their gifts before they headed downstairs for the Christmas lunch. Hermione got Harry a book on funny jinxes and hexes and Ron one about the history of Quidditch. Harry purchased Ron a new Wizarding chess set and Hermione a little charm bracelet, as he hadn't known what to get her and that'd seemed like a safe choice.

His favorite gift came from Ginny. She hadn't spent money and it was obviously from the heart, making it that much more meaningful. Ginny'd sent him a framed painting she'd obviously done herself, as it was of him standing with his parents. There'd never be any such picture, and it meant a lot to him that she'd take the time to give him such a gift. He'd treasure it always.

Even though there were only a few students remaining for the holidays, the entire castle had been beautifully decorated. Thick streamers of holly and mistletoe were strung along the corridors, mysterious lights shone from inside every suit of armor, and the Great Hall was filled with its usual twelve Christmas trees, glittering with golden stars. A powerful and delicious smell of cooking pervaded the corridors that had grown so strong that it made Ron's stomach rumble loudly at the first whiff.

When they reached the Great Hall for lunch, they were surprised to see the House tables had been moved against the walls and a single table, set for twelve, stood in the middle of the room. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Flitwick were there, along with Filch. There were only three other students, two extremely nervous-looking first years and a sullen-faced Slytherin fifth year.

Harry was a little unsure of how he was supposed to feel about the Headmaster, knowing he'd kept his inheritance from him. But he'd moved past his initial anger and now just wanted to know why he was kept in the dark. Was it because Sirius had been imprisoned? Was that why he'd gone to the Dursleys, even though his parents hadn't wanted that? Did Dumbledore do it for Harry's best interest, or for his own?

He didn't have any answers to his questions; until he did, Harry decided to just act normally around the man. He was the Headmaster after all, and that position demanded respect; plus, he felt better about the man after they'd learned he'd gone against the Minister to remove the dementors. Besides, despite how his parents felt and the fear they had that Dumbledore planned to sacrifice him to defeat Voldemort, Harry still believed in the cheerful grandfatherly figure he'd met in first year. That didn't mean he'd blindly follow him, though. He wasn't _that_ naïve.

They spent the whole afternoon at the small table, chatting informally with their professors and delighting in the continuous supply of delicious food the house elves provided. Things did get a little strange when Professor Trelawney came into the hall, quickly making the trio grateful they'd decided against Divination, as the woman was just plain kooky. And Hermione was shocked at the way Professor McGonagall spoke to the other woman, getting an 'I told you so' chuckle from Harry at their Head of House's apparent apathy towards the strange woman.

All in all, it was a nice day and they were completely stuffed to the brim once dinner ended. Ron and Hermione both declined Harry's invitation to the trunk, wanting to give him time alone with his parents and Sirius. Well, Hermione'd declined and had elbowed Ron sharply in the ribs when he'd started to accept, making the teen quickly change his mind. Harry just shrugged and went up to the dormitory and then down into the trunk.

"I wouldn't go in there, pup." The teen stopped at the words, turning to see Sirius leaning against the open archway. He looked much better now that he was clean shaven and actually smiling.

"Why?"

"I left when the flirting started, about an hour ago. I imagine they're still…busy." Sirius chuckled when Harry blanched, finding the whole thing highly amusing.

"Uhg, thanks for the warning." Harry quickly moved away from the office doors, heading back out of the archway, the older man falling into step with him.

"Thought I'd prevent permanent damage. Did you enjoy Christmas?" The two moved into the outdoor room, which was apparently their favorite, since they spent so much time there.

"It was good. I'm sorry you can't come out yet; I sent a letter to Madam Bones, so hopefully I'll hear back from her soon. If the trial is set up quickly, you might get out before New Year's."

"Hey, compared to Azkaban, this is heaven. It'd be nice to feel real air and sunlight, but this has been amazing, pup. And to have your parents' portraits and you knowing the truth, it's more than I deserve." The older man said seriously as he sat down in one of the lawn chairs. Harry took his own seat, the wooden box he'd been carrying going to his lap.

"It's still so strange. I mean, you being Snuffles and Peter being Scabbers. I'm still trying to get my head around it all." Harry said, opening the intricately carved box and taking the pictures from within.

"Are you sure you don't wanna just let me get rid of the traitor?" The animagus asked hopefully, making the teen shake his head.

"Killing him won't help, Sirius. You'll still be a wanted fugitive and I don't really want you living down here for the rest of your life." Sirius pouted like a child who didn't get his way.

"So…if we are able to clear my name, would you—d'you wanna come live with me? I mean, your parents appointed me your guardian." Sirius mumbled, fingers twitching in nervousness.

"Really? I could leave the Dursleys? Have you got a house?" Harry asked excitedly, making the older man relax some.

"You want to? You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it! Have you met the Dursleys? They're horrible." Sirius's face broke into a large smile, making him look much younger.

"Good, good. I'll, uh, have to do some cleaning first. Or maybe we'd just find a new place to live."

"If I get to leave the Dursleys, I'll move into a shoe box. Anything is better than that."

"So what ya got there?" He asked, changing the subject when he saw how uneasy his godson had gotten. The Dursley's were clearly a touchy subject.

"My parents left these for me in the Holding's Vault. They were taken before they went into hiding." Harry explained, showing him the stack of pictures. He didn't miss the way Sirius's eyes glistened as he thumbed through the past, but he didn't comment.

"These were good times. Your mum got so mad when James'd take you up on his broom. We never told her that he'd bring you over to my flat so you could fly." The man said with a watery smile, fingers tracing a picture of James and himself on either side of a tiny broom, the baby situated on top of it and giggling happily.

"I'm actually looking for one to give to Remus. I gave him an album with pictures of just the Marauders, but I thought he might like one with my parents."

"I wish I could talk to Moony, to explain everything."

"I could—I could take you to see him, if you want. Ginny gave me back the invisibility cloak for the holidays, so it wouldn't be hard to get you there; especially now that I've got the map." Sirius looked shocked at first, and then hopeful.

"D'you think he'd listen?" Harry shrugged, choosing the picture he wanted and putting the others back into the wooden box.

"There's only one way to find out."

"What if…he doesn't believe me?"

"We can wait until after the trial if you want." The escapee debated with himself before shaking his head and standing, hands going to the pockets of his borrowed trousers.

"No. I want to tell him myself." The young man nodded and motioned for Sirius to follow him. Harry led them into the master bedroom, where he stored the box and grabbed the cloak out of the wardrobe.

"You sure about this?" He asked again once they were in front of the ladder, noting the man was a little pale.

"Yeah…yeah I'm sure." Sirius swallowed, a lump of fear and uncertainty in his throat. Facing Remus was completely overwhelming, and he hadn't even gotten out of the trunk yet.

"Okay then." Harry climbed the rungs quickly and disappeared over the top, his godfather following.

"Put the cloak on and come downstairs. I'm gonna go tell Ron and Hermione."

The two were rightfully surprise about their plan; Hermione pointed out how this could go very wrong if Remus didn't believe them and Sirius was arrested. But the man was determined, so they all headed down to Professor Lupin's chambers.

Remus was very startled to see them at his door, especially given the hour. He looked worn out and tired, the full moon always taxing. But the three Gryffindors were insistent, so he felt compelled to invite them inside, something feeling off. He didn't know what it was, but there was definitely something going on, that he was sure of.

And when Harry asked for his wand, the older man raised his eyebrows in disbelief. Asking for someone's wand was just rude, but the teen just watched him and waited. Sighing, Remus handed over his wand once he was sure they weren't trying to trick him; you always needed to be on your guard.

There was no way he could've been prepared for his old friend, Sirius Black, to reveal himself from underneath James's invisibility cloak. The werewolf'd lunged towards Harry to grab his wand, but the boy'd jumped back and pleaded with him to just listen.

The group spent the next fifteen minutes explaining everything that'd happened in the last week, but it wasn't until Harry pulled out the Marauder's map that Remus was forced to realize they might actually be onto something. Because there was no way to trick the map; and right there, in black and white, was Peter Pettigrew's name. All be damned.

The trio left the two adults to catch up, with strict instructions that Sirius needed to return before he was discovered. It was a risk, but the castle was so empty that he should make it back to the common room without getting into trouble. Or at least they hoped so, as it really would be horrible if he was caught before the hearing.

Thankfully, Remus led Sirius back around midnight, both to make sure he returned to the tower and because he doubted the Fat Lady would let him in even with the password, as she would surely recognize him. The teens were sprawled in front of the dying fire, all asleep, so the animagus slept in Harry's bed, not wanting to disturb them.

The next morning, after returning Sirius to the trunk, Harry received a response from Madam Bones. They returned to the common room before opening it, not wanting anyone else to see it.

_Dear Mr. Potter_

_I was very surprised to receive your latest letter and justifiably intrigued as to what the evidence you alluded to could be. While it is unusual for one so young to request a special hearing, I see no reason to not grant your appeal._

_Unfortunately, the Ministry is operating on a skeleton crew at the moment, as most employees are on holiday, including the Minister. Therefore, I've set up the hearing to take place the Monday after New Year's, January 3__rd__. I've sent the requests out and have also arranged for additional witnesses, in cast some cannot attend._

_You'll need to arrange for transportation and get permission to leave the grounds. Arrive at Court Room 1 by eleven o'clock; the trial will begin at eleven-thirty, and it would not do to be late. Make sure you bring your evidence and have planned out what you wish to present._

_I look forward to meeting you next year. Have a happy holiday._

_Madam Amelia Bones_

_Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement_

"This is great! I wasn't sure if she'd really go for it." Harry said excitedly after they'd read through the letter.

"It's disappointing that the trial can't happen sooner, but I guess it's to be expected."

"Sirius'll be happy for sure." Ron nodded, eyes straying to his new chest set, which had been set up in the hopes he could convince one of them to play him.

"Yeah. I'm gonna tell Ginny." Harry moved away, grabbing his notebook and opening the connection. Hermione rolled her eyes at the pleading look Ron gave her and sat down across from him, getting a grin in response.

When Ginny's name appeared, Harry wasted no time in telling her about the letter and how Remus now knew. She was excited for him and Sirius and glad the DADA professor had taken the news so well. They then just chatted about the antics that were Christmas at the Burrow; how the twins drove their mum crazy with explosions while she was trying to cook Christmas dinner. It was really funny, according to Ginny.

They also talked about what they'd gotten, thanking each other for the thoughtful gifts, It was a little strange that Ginny had given him a painting, as he'd bought her a new set of charcoal pencils and sketch pads. Harry took it to mean they really had grown closer, for which he was grateful for. He hadn't expected to make such a good friend in her, but he was so glad he had.

He got a request to meet in Dumbledore's office that afternoon, as the Headmaster had received a letter from Madam Bones. Harry didn't reveal the facts he'd found out, not knowing how Dumbledore would reacted, but he did confirm that he'd asked for a hearing.

But he felt like the man might've known or had an idea, because his eyes were twinkling like mad. He didn't question Harry though; he just agreed that he'd attend and make sure the rest of the Wizengamot was there. Harry would travel with Remus to the Ministry at ten-fifty-five on the 3rd, using Dumbledore's personal fireplace to floo.

Plans were made and now all they had to do was to wait for the New Year.

**AN: So I hope you guys enjoyed the story. I know not a lot happened, but I didn't want to cram so much into the chapter this time, as I thought keeping it separated was better. Thanks for reading and sorry for any errors I missed.**


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